Comparative mycobacterial geneomics as a tool for identifying targets for the diagnosis, prophylaxis or treatment of mycobacterioses

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a method of selection of purified nucleotidic sequences or polynucleotides encoding proteins or part of proteins carrying at least an essential function for the survival or the virulence of  mycobacterium  species by a comparative genomic analysis of the sequence of the genome of  M. tuberculosis  aligned on the genome sequence of  M. leprae  and  M. tuberculosis  and  M. leprae  marker polypeptides of nucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and methods for using the nucleotides and the encoded polypeptides are disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed to a method of selection of purified nucleotidic sequences or polynucleotides encoding proteins or part of proteins carrying at least an essential function for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species by a comparative genomic analysis of the sequence of the genome of M. tuberculosis aligned on the genome sequence of M. leprae. The selection by the method of the invention of these nucleotidic or peptidic sequences of interest which are encoding said essential functions of mycobacterium leads to identify and characterize specific antigens or regulator sequences, said antigens being chosen as potential candidates for an immunogenic or vaccine composition, but also useful to determine novel potential drug targets for the pharmaceutical industry. The molecules having essential functions encoded by these genes or corresponding to regulatory elements represent also new highly specific targets for chemotherapy. The sequence of the polynucleotides according to the invention have the particularity to be maintained during the evolution of the mycobacterium and therefore have been highly conserved in pathogenic mycobacterium species. The invention is directed to purified nucleic acid selected by the method of the invention as well as the purified polypeptides with essential functions for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species encoded by these sequences. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is directed to genes that code for essential proteins for which the functions have been attributed. The invention is also directed to a process for the production of recombinant polypeptides and chimeric polypeptides comprising them, antibodies generated against these polypeptides, immunogenic or vaccine compositions comprising at least one polypeptide useful as protective antigens or capable to induce a protective response in vivo or in vitro against mycobacterium infections, immunotherapeutic compositions comprising at least such a polypeptide according to the invention, and the use of such nucleic acids and polypeptides in diagnostic methods, vaccines, kits, or antimicrobial therapy.

[0002] To illustrate the new approach of comparative mycobacterial genomics for identifying essential molecules as regulator nucleotidic sequences and proteins for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species, the inventors made several examples which will not limit the scope of the present invention. A comparative genomic analysis, which permitted the inventors to select the sequences encoding essential molecules as regulatory nucleotidic sequences and proteins for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species, has been made by analysis of the complete genome sequence of both Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae. The whole genome comparisons led also to the identification of genes that are present in both M. tuberculosis and M. leprae but have no counterparts elsewhere. The polypeptides having essential functions for the survival or the virulence mycobacterium species are characterized by at least 40% identity at the protein level and at least 70% identity at the gene level between both genomic sequences. The amino acid sequences have been compared using the program GAP, “GCG” (Genetic Computer Group) from Program Manual (UNIX), Wisconsin Sequence Analysis Package™, Algorithm of Needleman and Wunsch.

[0003] (J. Mol. Biol. 48:443, 1970) The parameters are chosen as follows.

[0004] For amino acid comparisons:

[0005] Gap penalty: 5

[0006] Gap extension penalty: 0.30

[0007] Length: the sequence to be compared are the following XXX SEQ ID NO:XXX and having XXX amino acids.

[0008] For nucleotide comparisons:

[0009] Gap penalty: 50

[0010] Gap extension penalty: 3

[0011] Also the parameters could be adapted case by case.

[0012] Other techniques are known by the man of the art for the comparison of sequences. We can refer to the algorithm of Smith and Wateman (Ad. App. Math. 2: 482, 1982), the method of search of similarities of Pearson and Lipman (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:2444, 1988), Zhang et al. “A greedy algorithm for aligning DNA sequences” (J. Comp. Biol., 2000, Feb-Apr. 7(1-2), p.203-214), these algorithms are used by the way of informatic tools (GAP, BLASTP, BLASTN, BLASTX, BESTFIT, FASTA and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Sciences Dr., Madison Wis.).

[0013] The recombinant clones carrying DNA from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae strains containing genomic sequences of said bacteria, have been deposited at the Collection Nationale de Cultures de Microoganismes (C.N.C.M.), of Institut Pasteur, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 Paris cedex 15, France, and are designated as following.

[0014] HRV37 genomic library, deposited on Nov. 19, 1997 under the accession number I-1945.

[0015] A recombinant BAC containing a fragment of M. tuberculosis genome deposited on Feb. 20, 2001, at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2625.

[0016] A recombinant BAC containing a fragment of M. tuberculosis genome deposited on Feb. 20, 2001, at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2626.

[0017] A recombinant BAC containing a fragment of M. tuberculosis genome deposited on Feb. 20, 2001, at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2627.

[0018] A recombinant BAC containing a fragment of M. tuberculosis genome deposited on Feb. 20, 2001, at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2628.

[0019] A recombinant BAC containing a fragment of M. tuberculosis genome deposited on Feb. 20, 2001, at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2629.

[0020] A recombinant cosmid containing a fragment of M. leprae genome deposited on Feb. 21, 2001, at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2632.

[0021] A recombinant cosmid containing a fragment of M. leprae genome deposited on Feb. 21, 2001, at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2633.

[0022] Leprosy, one of the oldest recorded diseases, remains a major public health problem. Although prevalence has been reduced extensively by WHO multidrug therapy and vaccination with BCG (Anon, Karonga Prevention Trial Group, Lancet, 348, 17-24, 1996; Nordeen, S. K., et al., eds. Walgate, R. & Simpson, K., 47-55, World Health Organisation, Geneva, 1993, the incidence of the disease remains worrying with more than 690,000 new cases annually (Anon, WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record, 73, 40, 1998) in the world. Leprosy was common in Europe in the middle ages but gradually disappeared.

[0023] In 1873, in the first convincing association of a microorganism with a human disease, (Hansen, G. H. A., Norsk Magazin for Laegervidenskaben (supplement), 4, 1-88, 1874) discovered the leprosy bacillus in skin biopsies but failed to culture Mycobacterium leprae. A century later, the nine-banded armadillo (Kirchheimer, W. K. et al., Int. J. Lep., 39, 693-702, 1971) was used as a surrogate host, enabling large quantities of the bacillus to be isolated for biochemical and physiological studies. Subsequent efforts to demonstrate multiplication in synthetic media have been equally fruitless although metabolic activity can be detected (Franzblau, S., Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 33, 2115-2117, 1989). The exceptionally slow growth of the bacillus, which has a doubling time of ˜14 days (Shephard, C. C., eds. Hastings, R. C., 269-286, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1985), may contribute to these failures.

[0024] The means of transmission of leprosy is uncertain but, like tuberculosis, it is believed to be spread by the respiratory route since lepromatous patients harbour bacilli in their nasal passages. The bacterium accumulates principally in the extremities of the body where it resides with macrophages and infects the Schwann cells of the peripheral nervous system. Lack of myelin production by infected Schwann cells, and their desctruction by host-mediated immune reactions, leads to nerve damage, sensory loss and the disfiguration that, sadly, are hallmarks of leprosy.

[0025] There is no data or technical information in the prior art which permit to select specifically potential new targets and protective antigens for new drugs and vaccine compositions to treat and prevent mycobacterial diseases, particularly tuberculosis and leprosy. Furthermore, there is a need for the development of new tools for the selection of genes which are encoding for essential proteins or regulatory nucleotidic sequences in the survival or infection of mycobacterium species and useful for the design of antituberculosis drugs and vaccines based on the knowledge of comparative mycobactertial genomics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The invention aids in fulfilling these needs in the art. The method according to the invention has the advantage to reduce drastically the number of potential new targets and protective antigens by giving for the first time an exhaustive description of conserved proteins in the tuberculosis and leprae bacilli. The isolated polynucleotides and proteins described in the present invention, which are highly conserved in both genomic sequences of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae, are by this characteristic essential for the survival or the virulence of these mycobacteria in the host. The identification of antigens and potentially therapeutic targets has been made on an evolutionary basis by a method of comparative genomic analysis.

[0027] This invention provides a method for the identification and the selection of essential genes for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species which comprises:

[0028] a) aligning the genomic sequence of a first mycobacterium species on a genomic sequence of the genomic sequence of a second mycobacterium species,

[0029] b) selecting a polynucleotide sequence highly conserved in both genomes with no counterparts in other bacterial genomic sequences and which corresponds to an essential gene for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species, and

[0030] c) optionaly, testing the polypolynucleotide selected in step b) for its capacity of virulence or involved in the survival of a mycobacterium species, said testing being based on the activation or inactivation of said polynucleotide in a bacterial host or said testing being based on the activity of the product of expression of said polynucleotide in vivo or in vitro.

[0031] This invention provides also a method for the identification and the selection in silico of essential genes for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species which comprises the following steps:

[0032] a) aligning the genomic sequence of a first mycobacterium specie on a genomic sequence of the genomic sequence of a second mycobacterium specie, and

[0033] b) selecting a polynucleotide sequence highly conserved in both genomes with no counterparts in other bacterial genomic sequences and which corresponds to an essential gene for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species.

[0034] Optionally, testing the polypolynucleotide selected in step b) for its capacity of virulence or involved in the survival of a mycobacterium species can be carried out, said testing being based on the activation or inactivation of said polynucleotide in a bacterial host or said testing being based on the activity of the product of expression of said polynucleotide in vivo or in vitro.

[0035] The method according to the invention permits also to determine the polynucleotidic sequences, which encode for polypeptides and regulatory sequences essential for the virulence and/or the survival of mycobacterium which are, in one hand, specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and, in the other hand, specific to Mycobacterium leprae, that is to say, said polynucleotidic sequences are not found in publicly accessible banks of non-Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-Mycobacterium leprae genome.

[0036] A gene according to the invention is a defined nucleotidic sequence, which contains an open reading frame with base composition, codon usage, GC skew and other features typical of a microorganism, preferably a mycobacterium. The definition of gene according to the invention comprises nucleotidic sequences, which encode an antigen or a fragment thereof, or nucleotidic sequences, which encode for essential polypeptide with essential function in the host, or nucleotidic sequence, which encodes polypeptide with regulation function in the bacteria, by example, in the DNA expression or in the transcription. An essential function for a polypeptide in bacteria according to the invention comprises functions implicated in the survival or in the virulence of the bacteria.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment the first genomic sequence of mycobacterium belongs to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The Mycobacterium microti is a Mycobacterium which infect the vole. It has a genome sequence close to the sequence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and therefore in a second preferred embodiment, the first genomic sequence of Mycobacterium microti belongs to Mycobacterium genus.

[0038] In another preferred embodiment the second genomic sequence of mycobacterium belongs to Mycobacterium leprae.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the method according to the invention comprises the complete genomic sequence of said mycobacterium species which is analysed. This invention provides purified polypolynucleotide molecule obtained by the method according to the invention.

[0040] Further, this invention provides a purified polynucleotide molecule according to the invention which encodes essential proteins or fragments of proteins of Mycobacterium species.

[0041] The invention also encompasses a purified polynucleotide molecule of a formula selected from the group consisting of polynucleotidic sequences, which encode for polypeptides and regulatory sequences essential for the virulence and/or the survival of mycobacterium which are, in one hand, specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and, in the other hand, specific to Mycobacterium leprae, that is to say, said polynucleotidic sequences are not found in publicly accessible banks of non-Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-Mycobacterium leprae genome. In a preferred embodiment, this purified polynucleotide is obtained by the method according to the invention.

[0042] The invention emcompasses a purified polynucleotide molecule that hybridizes to either strand of a denatured, double-stranded DNA comprising the purified polynucleotide sequence according to the invention under conditions of moderate stringency in 50% formamide and 6×SSC at 42° C. with washing conditions of 60° C., 0.5×SSC, 0.1% SDS.

[0043] This invention provides a purified polypeptide of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644.

[0044] This invention also provides a purified nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 to SEQ ID NO: 644.

[0045] The nucleic acid molecules of the invention, which include DNA and RNA, are referred to herein as “M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acids” or “M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker DNA”. The polypeptides encoded by these molecules, which are referred to herein as “M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides,” have formulas selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644.

[0046] Further, this invention provides a purified nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes to either strand of a denatured, double-stranded DNA comprising the nucleic acid molecule encoding the polypeptide of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644 under conditions of moderate stringency in 50% formamide and 6×SSC, at 42° C. with washing conditions of 60° C., 0.5×SSC, 0.1% SDS. This nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under the stated conditions can be derived by in vitro mutagenesis of a M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acid of the invention.

[0047] The invention also encompasses purified nucleic acid molecules degenerate from M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acids as a result of the genetic code, purified nucleic acid molecules that are allelic variants of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acids, and a species homolog of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acids. The invention also encompasses recombinant vectors that direct the expression of these nucleic acid molecules and host cells transformed or transfected with these vectors.

[0048] The invention further encompasses methods for the production of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, including culturing a host cell under conditions promoting expression, and recovering the polypeptide from the culture medium. Especially, the expression of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides in bacteria, yeast, plant, and animal cells is encompassed by the invention.

[0049] This invention also provides labeled M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. Preferably, the labeled polypeptides are in purified form. It is also preferred that the unlabeled or labeled polypeptide is capable of being immunologically recognized by human body fluid containing antibodies to a mycobacterium. The polypeptides can be labeled, for example, with an immunoassay label selected from the group consisting of radioactive, enzymatic, fluorescent, chemiluminescent labels, and chromophores.

[0050] Immunological complexes between the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides of the invention and antibodies recognizing the polypeptides are also provided. The immunological complexes can be labeled with an immunoassay label selected from the group consisting of radioactive, enzymatic, fluorescent, chemiluminescent labels, and chromophores.

[0051] Furthermore, this invention provides a method for detecting infection by mycobacteria. The method comprises providing a composition comprising a biological material suspected of being infected with a mycobacteria, and assaying for the presence of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide of the mycobacteria. The polypeptides are typically assayed by electrophoresis or by immunoassay with antibodies that are immunologically reactive with M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides of the invention.

[0052] This invention also provides an in vitro diagnostic method for the detection of the presence or absence of antibodies, which bind to an antigen comprising a M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide of the invention or mixtures of the polypeptides. The method comprises contacting the antigen with a biological fluid for a time and under conditions sufficient for the antigen and antibodies in the biological fluid to form an antigen-antibody complex, and then detecting the formation of the complex. The detection step can further comprise measuring the formation of the antigen-antibody complex. The formation of the antigen-antibody complex is preferably measured by immunoassay based on Western blot technique, ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), indirect immunofluorescent assay, or immunoprecipitation assay.

[0053] The polypeptides of this invention are thus useful as a portion of a diagnostic composition for detecting the presence of antibodies to antigenic proteins associated with mycobacteria. Thus, a diagnostic kit for the detection of the presence or absence of antibodies, which bind to the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide of the invention or mixtures of the polypeptides, contains antigen comprising the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide, or mixtures thereof, and means for detecting the formation of immune complex between the antigen and antibodies. The antigens and the means are present in an amount sufficient to perform the detection.

[0054] This invention also provides an immunogenic composition comprising a M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide of the invention or a mixture thereof in an amount sufficient to induce an immunogenic or protective response in vivo, in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor. A vaccine composition of the invention comprises a neutralizing amount of the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor.

[0055] In addition, the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides can be used to raise antibodies for detecting the presence of antigenic proteins associated with a mycobacterium. Purified polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies that bind to M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides are encompassed by the invention.

[0056] The polypeptides of the invention can be also employed to raise neutralizing antibodies that either inactivate the mycobacteria, reduce the viability of a mycobacterium in vivo, or inhibit or prevent bacterial replication. The ability to elicit mycobacteria-neutralizing antibodies is especially important when the proteins and polypeptides of the invention are used in immunizing or vaccinating compositions to activate the B-cell arm of the immune response or induce a cytotoxic T lymphocyte response (CTL) in the recipient host, or other T cell mediated response.

[0057] Further, this invention provides a method for detecting the presence or absence of a mycobacterium comprising:

[0058] (1) contacting a sample suspected of containing bacterial genetic material of a mycobacterium with at least one nucleotide probe, and

[0059] (2) detecting hybridization between the nucleotide probe and the bacterial genetic material in the sample,

[0060] wherein said nucleotide probe is complementary to the full-length sequence of a purified M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acid of the invention.

[0061] Also, this invention provides a method of comparing genetic complements of different types of organisms, wherein the method comprises:

[0062] (a) providing a database including sequence libraries for a plurality of types of organisms, said libraries having multiple genomic sequences;

[0063] (b) providing one or more probe sequences encoding a polypeptide of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644;

[0064] (c) determining homologous matches between one or more of said probe sequences and one or more sequences of said sequences in said genomic libraries; and

[0065] (d) displaying the results of said determination.

[0066] The method can be carried out using a computer system comprising a database including sequence libraries for a plurality of types of organisms, wherein the libraries have multiple genomic sequences, and providing a database including the one or more probe sequences encoding a polypeptide of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644. The computer system includes a user interface capable of receiving sequence information from the sequence libraries and the probe sequence information for comparison and displaying the results of the comparison.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] This invention will be described with reference to the drawings in which:

[0068]FIG. 1 is a circular genome map. From the outside, circles 1, 2, clockwise and anticlockwise, genes on the − and + strands, respectively; circles 3 and 4, pseudogenes; 5 and 6, M. leprae specific genes; 7, repeat sequences; 8, G+C content; 9, G/C bias (G+C)/(G−C).

[0069]FIGS. 2A and 2B are a comparison of the pros loci of M. leprae and M. tuberculosis.

[0070]FIG. 2A: the M. leprae proS region is shown above that of M. tuberculosis. Genes or operons are depicted by arrows while crosses denote pseudogenes. Note the absence of ugpAEBC and dinF from M. leprae and the presence of proS at this site.

[0071]FIG. 2B: domain structures of prolyl-tRNA synthetases of bacterial (M. tuberculosis) or eukaryotic (M. leprae) types after (Wolf, Y. I., et al., Genome Research, 9, 689-710, 1999).

[0072]FIG. 3 shows distribution of genes by functional category. The number of complete (grey) and pseudogenes (black) within each category for M. leprae is shown. Data for M. tuberculosis (white) were taken from the published genome sequence (Cole, S. T., et al., Nature, 393, 537-544, 1998). Functional categories: 1. Small-molecule catabolism, 2. Energy Metabolism, 3. Central intermediary metabolism, 4. Amino acid biosynthesis, 5. Nucleosides and nucleotide biosynthesis and metabolism, 6. Biosynthesis of cofactors, prosthetic groups and carriers, 7. Lipid biosynthesis, 8. Polyketide and nonribosomal peptide synthesis, 9. Proteins performing regulatory functions, 10. Synthesis and modification of macromolecules, 11. Degradation of macromolecules, 12. Cell envelope constituents, 13. Transport/binding proteins, 14. Chaperones/Heat shock proteins, 15. Cell division proteins, 16. Protein and peptide secretion, 17. Adaptations and atypical conditions, 18. Detoxification, 19. Virulence determinants, 20. IS elements and phage derived proteins, 21. PE and PPE families, 22. Antibiotic production and resistance, 23. Cytochrome P450 enzymes, 24. Coenzyme F420-dependent enzymes, 25. Miscellaneous transferases, 26. Miscellaneous phosphatases, lyases and hydrolases, 27. Cyclases, and 28. Chelatases. Inset graph: The Y axis shows the number of genes within each functional category. The X axis shows the functional categories: 29. Conserved hypothetical proteins, 30. Hypothetical proteins which share no significant similarity with any protein currently in the databases.

[0073]FIG. 4. Polynucleotidic sequence (SEQ ID NO: 645) of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv BAC clone, BAC-Rv221, deposited at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2625, which corresponds to pBelo BACII with HindIII partial digest fragment from the genome of M. tuberculosis H37 Rv that starts at position 2,115,612 and extends to position 2,198,604 according to Cole et al. (1998). All of the M. tuberculosis genes contained herein are of interest.

[0074]FIG. 5. Polynucleotidic sequence (SEQ ID NO: 646) of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv BAC clone, BAC-Rv230, deposited at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2626, which corresponds to pBelo BACII with HindIII partial digest fragment from the genome of M. tuberculosis H37 Rv that starts at position 1,336,764 and extends to position 1,411,979 according to Cole et al. (1998). All of the M. tuberculosis genes contained herein are of interest.

[0075]FIG. 6. Polynucleotidic sequence (SEQ ID NO: 647) of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv BAC clone, BAC-Rv234, deposited at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2627, which corresponds to pBelo BACII with HindIII partial digest fragment from the genome of M. tuberculosis H37 Rv that starts at position 2,847,864 and extends to position 2,928,420 according to Cole et al. (1998). All of the M. tuberculosis genes contained herein are of interest.

[0076]FIG. 7. Polynucleotidic sequence (SEQ ID NO: 648) of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv BAC clone, BAC-Rv265, deposited at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2628, which corresponds to pBelo BACII with HindIII partial digest fragment from the genome of M. tuberculosis H37 Rv that starts at position 513,402 and extends to position 599,515 according to Cole et al. (1998). All of the M. tuberculosis genes contained herein are of interest.

[0077]FIG. 8. Polynucleotidic sequence (SEQ ID NO: 649) of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv BAC clone, BAC-Rv267, deposited at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2629, which corresponds to pBelo BACII with HindIII partial digest fragment from the genome of M. tuberculosis H37 Rv that starts at position 1,124,621 and extends to position 1,169,811 according to Cole et al. (1998). All of the M. tuberculosis genes contained herein are of interest.

[0078]FIG. 9. Polynucleotidic sequence (SEQ ID NO: 650) of the Mycobacterium leprae cosmid which corresponds to pYUB18 with Sau3A partial digest fragment from the genome of M. leprae that starts at position 1,373,705 and extends to position 1,403,746. This sequence comprises the sequence of the Mycobacterium leprae cosmid MLCY 811 which corresponds to pYUB18 with Sau3A partial digest fragment of the genome of M. leprae deposited at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2633 that starts at position 1,363,759 and extends to position 1,403,737 according to Cole et al. (2001, Nature, 409, 1007-1011).

[0079]FIG. 10. Polynucleotidic sequence (SEQ ID NO: 651) of the Mycobacterium leprae cosmid which corresponds to pYUB18 with Sau3A partial digest fragment of the genome of M. leprae that starts at position 3,160,443 and extends to position 3,194,161. This sequence comprises the sequence of the Mycobacterium leprae cosmid MLCY 047 which corresponds to pYUB18 with Sau3A partial digest fragment of the genome of M. leprae deposited at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2632 that starts at position 3,160,458 and extends to position 3,194,087 according to Cole et al. (2001).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0080] Sequence Analysis of M. leprae

[0081] The complete genome sequence of M. leprae contains 3,268,203 bp, and has an average G+C content of 57.8%. These values are much lower than those reported for the M. tuberculosis genome, comprising ˜4,000 genes, 4,411,529 bp and 65.6% G+C (Cole et al, 1998). On detailed pairwise comparisons of both genome and proteome sequences (Cole et al., 1998; Tekaia, F., et al., Tubercle Lung Disease 79, 329-342, 1999), it was immediately apparent that only 49.5% of the genome was occupied by protein-coding genes, while 27% contained recognisable pseudogenes, inactive reading frames with functional counterparts in the tubercle bacillus. The remaining 23.5% of the genome did not appear to be coding, and probably contains gene remnants mutated beyond recognition. The distribution of the 1,114 pseudogenes was essentially random (FIG. 1) and, after their exclusion, 1604 potentially active genes remained, of which 1,439 were common to both pathogens. Among the remaining 165 genes, with no ortholog in M. tuberculosis, were 29 for which functions could be attributed. Many of the 136 residual CDS in M. leprae, showing no similarity to known genes, may also represent pseudogenes as they are shorter than average and occur in regions of low gene density (FIG. 1).

[0082] Reductive Evolution

[0083] Assuming that the genome of M. leprae was once topologically equivalent and similar in size to those of all other mycobacteria (˜4-4 Mb) (Brosch, R., et al., Res. Microbiol., 151, 135-142, 2000; Philipp, W., et al., Electrophoresis, 19, 573-576, 1998; Stinear, T. P., et al., J. Bacteriol., 182, 6322-6330, 2000), then extensive downsizing and rearrangement must have occurred during evolution. Loss of 1.1 Mb would eliminate ˜1100 CDS, and M. leprae would, therefore, be expected to produce 3000 proteins compared to the 4000 predicted in M. tuberculosis. On analysis of the proteome only 391 soluble protein species were detected (Marques, M. A. M., et al., Infection Immunity, 66, 2625-2631, 1998), compared to nearly 1800 in M. tuberculosis (Jungblut, P. R., et al., Mol Microbiol, 33, 1103-1117, 1999), consistent with there being many pseudogenes. In conclusion, since diverging from the last common mycobacterial ancestor, the leprosy bacillus may have lost >2000 genes.

[0084] Reductive evolution is documented in obligate intracellular parasites, such as Rickettsia and Chlamydia spp., and in some endosymbionts (Andersson, J. O., et al., Curr. Opin. Genetics & Development, 9, 664-671, 1999), as genes become inactivated once their functions are no longer required in highly specialised niches. This process may have naturally defined the minimal gene set for a pathogenic mycobacterium . The most extensive genome degradation reported previously was in Rickettsia prowazekii, the typhus agent, where only 76% of the potential coding capacity was used and 12 pseudogenes identified (Anderssen, S. G. E., et al., Nature, 396, 133-140, 1998). In comparison with M. leprae, the level of gene loss detected was modest, and it is striking that elimination of pseudogenes by deletion lags far behind gene inactivation in both pathogens. Intriguingly, the G+C content of M. leprae genes (60.1%) is higher than that of the pseudogenes (56.5%), and the remainder of the genome (54.5%). The high G+C content of M. leprae, and other mycobacteria, is apparently driven by the codon preference of active genes, while random mutation within non-coding regions results in drift towards a more neutral G+C content, closer to that of the host.

[0085] Mosaic Organisation and Horizontal Transfer

[0086] While the precise mechanism behind pseudogene formation in M. leprae is unclear, loss of dnaQ-mediated proof-reading activities of DNA polymerase III (Mizrahi, V., et al., eds. Hatfull, G. F. & Jacobs, W. R., Jr., 159-172 (ASM Press, Washington, D.C., 2000) may have contributed. By contrast, there is extensive evidence for large scale rearrangements and deletions arising from homologous recombination events. Comparison with M. tuberculosis delineated ˜65 segments that show synteny but differ in their relative order and distribution in the M. leprae genome. Breaks in synteny generally correspond to dispersed repeats, tRNA genes or gene-poor regions. Copies of all three repeats, RLEP, REPLEP, and LEPREP, occur at the junctions of discontinuity suggesting that the mosaic arrangement of the M. leprae genome reflects multiple recombination events between related repetitive sequences. In some cases, aberrant recombination may have occurred as truncated repeats exist.

[0087] While there is little sequence similarity indicating that they are insertion sequences, RLEP is clearly capable of transposition since it exists within sequences corresponding to known genes. Unlike M. tuberculosis H37Rv, which contains at least two prophages and 56 intact or truncated IS elements (Cole et al., 1998; Gordon, S. V., et al., Microbiology, 145, 881-892, 1999), M. leprae has only three phage-like genes, all with M. tuberculosis orthologs, and 26 transposase gene fragments. However, some signs of horizontal transfer of genetic material were detected when the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes were examined. With one exception, all of these are more closely related to M. tuberculosis enzymes than to those of any other organism. Surprisingly, prolyl-tRNA synthetase, encoded by proS, is more similar to the enzymes of Borrelia burgdorfieri and eukaryotes such as Drosophila, humans and yeast. It has been proposed that horizontal transfer of tRNA synthetase genes occurs frequently, and that the pathogen B. burgdorferi may have acquired proS from its host (Wolf et al., 1999). Comparison of the genetic context provides further support for this hypothesis as the M. leprae proSs is both displaced and inverted with respect to the M. tuberculosis genome (FIG. 4), consistent with recent acquisition.

[0088] Multigene Families

[0089] Half of the genes (52%) present in M. tuberculosis arose from gene duplication events leading to extensive functional redundancy (Tekaia et al., 1999). Many of these are involved in lipid metabolism or belong to the novel PE and PPE families, encoding unusual glycine-rich proteins of repetitive structure and unknown function. The latter are confined to certain mycobacterial species (Poulet, S., et al., Arch. Microbiol., 163, 79-86, 1995), and represent sources of genetic and, possibly antigenic, variation (Cole et al., 1998). The corresponding 167 genes are exceptionally GC-rich and occupy >8% of the M. tuberculosis genome (Cole, S. T., FEBS Letters, 452, 7-10, 1999). By contrast, only 9 intact PE and PPE genes were found in M. leprae although 30 pseudogenes were present. No intact members of the PE-PGRS subfamily were found. This reduction partly contributes to the smaller genome size and the lower GC content of M. leprae. Recently, some PE-PGRS proteins were shown to be upregulated in Mycobacterium marinum during granuloma formation in frogs (Ramakrishnan, L., et al., Science, 288, 1436-1439, 2000). However, this effect is probably not mediated directly by the PE-PGRS, as granulomas are a prominent cytological feature of all forms of leprosy. Essentially all of the gene families (Tekaia et al., 1999) have undergone extensive retraction in M. leprae and now encode “just-enough” activity to permit intracellular growth. Selected examples of this are given in Table 1, whereas the comprehensive comparison presented in FIG. 3 shows that all functional categories have shrunk. TABLE 1 Selected examples of metabolic streamlining M. tuberculosis M. leprae M. leprae Gene Gene Pseudogene Function Pathway gltAl, gltA2, gltA2 citA Citrate synthase Krebs cycle cit, 4 icdl, icd2 icd2 icdl Isocitrate Krebs cycle dehydrogenase icl, aceA ace/A icl Isocitrate lyase Glyoxy- latecycle gndl, gnd2 gnd1 gnd2 6-phosphogluconate- Pentose dehydrogenase phosphate pathway pfkA, pjkB pfkA pfkB Phospho-fructokinase Glycolysis aceE, lpdA, aceE, lpd lpdA, pdhA, Pyruvate, Energy pdhA, pdhB, (Rv0462) dhB, pdhC dehydrogenase metabolism pdhC, lpd complex (Rv0462) lldD1, lldD2 lldD2 lldD1 L-lactate Respiration dehydrogenase mmaAl, mmaA2, mmaA1, mmaA2, nmaA3, Methyltransferase Mycolic acid mmaA3, mmaA4, mmaA4, cmaA1, umaA1 modification cmaAl, cmaA2, cmaA2, umaA2 umaAl, umaA2 glnAl, glnA2, glnA1, glnA2 glnA3, glnA4 Glutamine synthase Glutamine glnA3, glnA4 biosynthesis metA, metB, met4, metB, metC Various Methionine metC, metE, metE, biosynthesis metH, metK, metZ metH, metK, metZ bfrA, bfrB bfrA bfrB Bacterioferritin Iron storage ligA, ligB, ligC ligA ligB DNA ligase DNA metabolism

[0090] Metabolic Clues Successive generations of microbiologists have failed to grow M. leprae in axenic culture leading to the notion that the bacterium lacks certain biosynthetic pathways. Complete genome comparisons shed new light on this. Lipid metabolism is prominent in the biochemical repertoire of M. leprae but to a lesser extent than in the tubercle bacillus whose cell envelope has a greater diversity of lipids, glycolipids and carbohydrates(Daffe, M., et al., Advances in Microbial Physiology, 39, 131-203, 1998).

[0091] Envelope Biogenesis

[0092] Mycolic acids, structural components of all mycobacteria, include the alpha mycolates, lacking oxygen functions, and the oxygenated keto- and methoxy-forms. Reappraisal of mycolic acid modification is now possible in the light of the reduced cmaA, mmaA and umaA gene-sets encoding the effector methyltransferases. M. leprae contains no methoxy-mycolates (Daff et al., 1998), probably due to the loss of the MmaA2 and MmaA3 enzymes that attach the methoxy group in M. tuberculosis (Brosch et al., 1999; Yuan, Y. et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 93, 12828-33, 1996). However, the mycolic acids do contain cyclopropane functions (Draper, P., et al., Ann Microbiol (Paris), 133, 39-47, 1982) that in M. tuberculosis are introduced by MmaA2 and CmaAl. Since both the mmaA2 and cmaA1 genes have decayed in M. leprae, cyclopropanation must be encoded by one of the related umaA genes. Recently, both umaA2 and cmaA2 were shown to be essential for the cyclopropanation function in M. tuberculosis (Glickman, M. S., et al., Mol Cell, 5, 717-27, 2000). The same enzymes also catalyse cyclopropanation in M. leprae as their duplicate copies are both inactive (Table 1). Foremost among the outer lipids of the leprosy bacillus is phenolic glycolipid 1 (PGL1), an envelope component not found in M. tuberculosis (Melancon-Kaplan, J., et al., Proc. Nad. Acad. Sci. USA, 85, 1917-1921, 1988). PGL1 is derived from phthiocerol-dimycocerosate (PDIM), an esterified compound lipid generated by mycocerosic acid synthase and a type I polyketide synthase (PKS), by addition of three o-methylated deoxy sugars (Daffe et al., 1998). However, the genes for the glycosyltransferases, that modify PDIM to produce PGLI, could not be detected despite extensive comparisons. PDIM, a virulence factor in M. tuberculosis, requires the RND protein, MmpL7, for its transport across the cytoplasmic membrane (Tekaia et al., 1999 ; Cox, J. S., et al., Nature, 402, 79-83; 1999 ; Camacho, L. R., et al., Mol. Microbiol., 34, 257-267, 1999). Of the 18 PKS systems identifiable in M. tuberculosis (Cole et al., 1998), only six were predicted in M. leprae and the number of mmpL genes (often linked to PKS genes) has decreased from 16 to five, presumably because they are no longer required for polyketide or lipid export. Deletion of such systems may be reflected in the lack of mycolipenic and hydroxylipenic acids, polyketides esterified to trehalose in M. tuberculosis. Further PKS missing from M. leprae include the mbt operon required for production of the salicylate-based mycobactin siderophores. Lipids, polyketides and aromatic compounds are often substrates, for cytochrome-P450 monooxygenases (Peterson, J. A., et al., Structure, 6,1079-1085, 1998), enzymes that are exceptionally abundant in M. tuberculosis (Cole et al., 1998). Astonishingly, none of these is functional in M. leprae although a novel enzyme is predicted.

[0093] Lipolysis

[0094] Intracellular mycobacteria probably derive much of their energy from degradation of host-derived lipids (Wheeler, P. R., et al., eds. Bloom, B. R., 353-385, American Society for Microbiology, Washington D.C. 20005, 1994), a process initiated by lipases. In remarkable contrast to the 22 lip genes of M. tuberculosis, M. leprae has only two lipase genes, of which, lipG, clusters with mmaA genes and could, therefore, effect fatty acid remodelling. This appears to leave just one lipase for scavenging fatty acids. The enzyme LipE (ML1190) or its counterpart in M. tuberculosis (Rv3775) could represent an attractive drug target. In addition to the multifunctional FadA and FadB enzymes, which catalyse β-oxidation, M. tuberculosis has numerous alternative systems for fatty acid degradation (Cole et al., 1998). Once again, M. leprae has roughly one third as many potential enzymes; however, there are three-times more FadD acyl-CoA synthases than FadE acyl-CoA dehydrogenases, whereas these are expected in equal amounts in M. tuberculosis. This may be explained by the dual role of FadD in β-oxidative and anabolic processes while FadE only participates catabolically.

[0095] The acetyl-CoA produced by β-oxidation, or glycolysis, flows into the central pathways of carbon metabolism in M. leprae. However, the pattern of “just enough” genes for each step is firmly established, so that the redundancy seen in M. tuberculosis almost never occurs. For instance, there is only one isocitrate lyase (with low predicted activity) capable of participating in the glyoxylate shunt (Table 1) (Honer Zu Bentrup, K., et al., Journal of Bacteriology, 181, 7161-7167, 1999 ; McKinney, J. D., et al., Nature, 406, 735-738, 2000), and one enzyme complex that oxidatively decarboxylates pyruvate to acetyl-CoA, compared to two such systems in M. tuberculosis. In the Krebs cycle, as in glycolysis, replicate genes for the same activity are deleted although differences in expression levels might compensate for some missing copies. Thus, while lack of pdh genes is reflected in a low rate of oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate, isocitrate dehydrogenase activity is comparable in host-grown leprosy and tubercle bacilli (Wheeler, P. R., J Gen Microbiol, 130, 381-9, 1984) even though a duplicate icd gene is inactivated in M. leprae.

[0096] Central and Energy Metabolism

[0097] Despite an active glyoxylate cycle, there appear to be fundamental differences elsewhere in anaplerotic pathways between M. leprae and M. tuberculosis. Here, phospho-enol-pyruvate (PEP) carboxylase replaces the pyruvate carboxylase of M. tuberculosis, and the malic enzyme, associated with fast growth in mycobacteria (Ratledge, C. R., eds. Ratledge, C. & Stanford, J., 53-94, Academic Press Limited, San Diego, Calif., 1982), is missing. The metabolic implications are that flux between C3 and C4 compounds and the balance between glycolysis and gluconeogenesis will be very different. Another missing link between by-products of lipid metabolism and the Krebs cycle is the production of succinyl-CoA by catabolic Acc carboxylases predicted for M. tuberculosis (Cole et al., 1998). Other carbon sources lost to M. leprae are acetate, as ackA, pta and acs are all inactive, and galactose, so the cell wall galactan can only be produced from glucose since the galk, T genes are missing. This might imply that M. leprae is limited to growth on very few carbon sources, or even a limited and rather specialised combination, on which it can maintain a balanced carbon metabolism. Though a similar range of potential substrates is available to both M. leprae and M. tuberculosis in the host, marked differences in their ability to exploit them are apparent on examination of the systems involved in carbon and nitrogen compound degradation: there are fewer oxidoreductases, oxygenases and short-chain alcohol dehydrogenases, and their probable regulatory genes, (FIG. 3). The inescapable conclusion is that catabolism in M. leprae is severely limited.

[0098] In the same vein, the leprosy bacillus has lost anaerobic and microacrophilic electron transfer systems, such as formate dehydrogenase, nitrate, and fumarate reductase together with the biosynthetic and transport systems required to produce the cognate prosthetic groups. Likewise, the aerobic respiratory chain of M. leprae is truncated as only the 3′-end of the NADH oxidase operon, nuoA-N, remains. The consequences of this event are far-reaching, for not only has the potential to produce ATP from the oxidation of NADH been lost, but also regeneration of NAD⁺ may be limited, relying heavily on ndh, which is involved only in recycling NAD⁺. Alternatively, M. leprae may regenerate NAD⁺ from NADH by (1) diverting pyruvate to acetate and CO₂ using lactate dehydrogenase and lactate oxidase; (2) diverting PEP to malate or fumarate via oxaloacetate, using its PEP carboxylase (an enzyme not found in the tubercle bacillus) that only catalyses the reaction in this direction. Given the loss of genes reviewed above, the acids produced by (1) and (2) cannot be recycled and must be excreted.

[0099] Anabolism

[0100] In surprising contrast, all the anabolic pathways seem to be relatively intact. With few exceptions, complete enzyme systems are predicted for synthesis of amino acids, purines, pyrimidines, nucleosides, nucleotides, most vitamins and cofactors. This suggests that the availability of these metabolites in phagosomes is either highly limited or that M. leprae cannot transport them efficiently. It also sets the biology of the leprosy bacillus apart from that of the other obligate parasites for which genomes have been sequenced (Andersson et al., 1999; Anderssen et al., 1998). M., leprae may, however, be auxotrophic for methionine as metC, encoding cystathionine β-lyase, is a pseudogene, whereas the other counterparts of M. tuberculosis met genes are all intact. This requirement for methionine may be dictated by the inactivation of the sulphate transport operon, cysYWA, and in turn this implies that M. leprae depends upon an organic source of sulphur. A second auxotrophy that is predicted is for cobinamide, as examination of the cob genes shows selective deletion of those to make cobinamide, while the genes needed to produce vitamin B12 from cobinamide are retained.

[0101] Pathogenesis and Disease Control

[0102] Central to a successful pathogenic lifestyle is the ability to obtain iron. M. leprae has many genes for haem and iron-based proteins and employs the iron regulatory systems, ideR and furB, yet may be severely handicapped compared to M. tuberculosis as it appears to have lost the mbt operon, encoding the non-ribosomal peptide synthase required for production of the iron-scavenging siderophores, mycobactin/exochelin (Cole et al., 1998 ; De Voss, J. J., et al., Proc. Natl.Acad. Sci.

[0103] USA, 97, 1252-1257, 2000; Quadri, L. E., et al., Chemistry & Biology, 5, 631-645, 1998). However, part of the iron uptake system is functional in M. leprae, as it transports exochelinMN, from M. neoaurum but not those of M. smegmatis or M. tuberculosis (Hall, R. M., et al., Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis, 51, 490-494, 1983). The genes for exochelinMN are unknown and seem unlikely to occur in M. leprae.

[0104] As might be expected given the differences in their respective pathologies, M. leprae contains several enzymes that have no counterparts in the tubercle bacillus, including a eukaryotic-like uridine phosphorylase and adenylate cyclase. In addition, there are two transport systems that may play significant physiological roles: an ABC-transporter for sugars, and a second member of the Nrampl family, involved in divalent metal ion uptake. M. leprae may have acquired another Nrampl gene (Makui, H., et al., Molecular Microbiology, 35, 1065-1078, 2000) to ensure adequate intracellular iron concentrations resulting from its lack of mycobactin siderophores. M. leprae, shows a marked tropism for myelin-producing Schwann cells, and a surface-exposed 21 kDa laminin-binding protein (LBP) may be an important virulence factor (Shimoji, Y., et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 96, 9857-9862, 1999 ; Rambukkana, A., et al., Role of alpha-dystroglycan as a Schwann cell receptor for Mycobacterium leprae, 282, 2076-2079, 1998; Rambukkana, A., et al., Cell, 88, 811-821, 1997). Inspection of the genome sequence revealed a single LBP gene and this also occurs in M. tuberculosis. No further candidates for virulence genes were detected, and many of those present in M. tuberculosis have been inactivated or lost, including three of the Mce operons encoding putative invasins (Tekaia et al., 1999; Arruda, S., et al., Science, 261, 1454-1457, 1993). Although the leprosy and tubercle bacilli both survive within macrophages, M. leprae has no catalase-peroxidase (Eiglmeier, K., et al., FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 149, 273-278, 1997), and fewer peroxidoxins and epoxide hydrolases to combat reactive oxygen species. It has retained both superoxide dismutases suggesting that these may contribute to its survival.

[0105] Comparative Mycobacterial Genomics

[0106] Comparative genomics is a powerful new tool for exploring micobial evolution and identifying those genes that might encode new drug targets or protective antigens. Coupled with knowledge derived from bioinformatic analysis of the proteome, and understanding of the underlying microbiology, it is possible to reduce the number of potential new targets within a pathogen to a more tangible level.

[0107] This invention includes discoveries resulting from the findings of a comparative analysis in which gene and protein sets of the leprosy and tubercle bacilli have been compared pairwise, and against the completed genome sequences of various prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

[0108] The genome of M. leprae, an exceptionally slow growing bacterium, is substantially smaller than that of M. tuberculosis and contains numerous pseudogenes. While the genome of M. tuberculosis comprises 4.41 Mb and contains around 4,000 genes, the genome of M. leprae is only 3.27 Mb and a mere 49.5% is occupied by protein-coding genes. About 27% of the M. leprae genome contains recognizable pseudogenes, inactive reading frames with functional counterparts in the tubercle bacillus. The remaining 23.5% of the genome does not appear to be coding, and probably contains gene remnants mutated beyond recognition. The distribution of the 1,114 pseudogenes was essentially random throughout the chromosome. 1,604 potentially active genes were identified, of which 1,439 were common to both pathogens. Among the remaining 165 genes, with no ortholog in M. tuberculosis, were 29 for which functions could be attributed. Many of the 136 residual CDS in M. leprae, showing no similarity to known genes, may also represent pseudogenes as they are shorter than average and occur in regions of low gene density. In summary, assuming that all mycobacteria are descendants of a common ancestor, M. leprae has probably lost around 2,000 genes during evolution and the minimal gene set required by a pathogenic mycobacterium has been naturally defined.

[0109] Whole genome comparisons led to the identification of genes that are present in both M. tuberculosis and M. leprae but have no counterparts elsewhere. Since these pathogenic mycobacteria occupy similar niches in the human body where they encounter the same physiological stresses and immune responses, it is conceivable that the products of some of these genes may conduct highly specialized functions that could be essential for intracellular growth of mycobacteria. If this were the case, the corresponding proteins or enzymes might represent novel drug targets. In addition to those proteins that are confined to the species or the genus, there is a second group of polypeptides that also occur in Streptomyces spp., related members of the Actinomycetales kingdom, but not in other prokaryotes. It is reasonable to assume that such proteins confer specific properties on actinomycetes.

[0110] Knowledge of the subcellular location of proteins is particularly valuable for the design of new tuberculosis vaccines since it is widely believed that surface-exposed or secreted proteins correspond to those antigenic components that are first encountered by the immune system during infection (Andersen, P., Scandinavian Journal of Immunology, 45, 115-131, 1997). Bioinformatics has also been used to identify proteins that localize to the cell envelope and these include transmembrane proteins with hydrophobic domains, and lipoproteins with N-terminal cysteine residues that are modified by addition of lipid groups. Proteins that are secreted via the general secretory pathway (Pugsley, A. P., Microbiological Reviews, 57, 50-108, 1993) are readily identifiable by their characteristic signal peptides, whereas those metallo-enzymes that are secreted by the twin arginine transporter system, Tat, can be recognized by the presence at the N-terminus of the cognate motif, S/TRRXFLK preceeding the signal peptide (Stanley, N. R., et al., J. Biol. Chem., 275, 11591-61, 2000; Berks, B. C., et al., Mol. Microbiol., 35, 260-274, 2000). This will be discussed further below.

[0111] Other proteins that lack signal peptides and are secreted from mycobacteria in a Sec-independent manner, include those belonging to the ESAT-6 family (Tekaia, F., et al., Tubercle Lung Disease, 79, 329-342, 1999). ESAT-6 is a potent T-cell antigen that induces strong Th1-type responses (Lalvani, A., et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 95, 270-275, 1998) and has been extensively studied as a potential diagnostic reagent for infection (Pollock, J. M. et al., J. Inf. Dis., 175, 1251-1254, 1997), since its gene is missing from BCG (Gordon, S. V., et al., Molec. Microbiol., 32, 643-656, 1999; Harboe, M., et al., Infection Immun., 64, 16-22, 1996 ; Mahairas, G. G., et al., J. Bacteriol., 178, 1274-1282, 1996) and as a component of a subunit vaccine (Brandt, L., et al., Infect Immun., 68, 791-795, 2000). The comparative genomic analysis identified several ESAT-6 proteins, and their potential secretion machinery, that were common to both M. tuberculosis and M. leprae (Table 2).

[0112] Several examples are given in Table 2 of proteins of limited distribution with potential drug targets, diagnostic antigens or subunit vaccine components.

[0113] Legend of Table 2:

[0114] The reading of the first example, by instance,

[0115]M. leprae

[0116] ML0048: Name of an identified ORF in the genome of M. leprae.

[0117] M. tub.:

[0118] Rv3876: Name of Equivalent ORF in the genome of M. tuberculosis published in 1998.

[0119] BLASTP:

[0120] Method of comparing protein sequences for establishing their degree of similarity or identity.

[0121] 1,00^(E)-79:

[0122] BLASTP score, which indicates how similar the protein sequences are. The analyses of the results are described in Cole et al. for the comparisons between the genome of M. tuberculosis and the genome of BCG (Analysis of the proteome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in silico, tuber Lung. Dis. 1999, 79(6):329-42).

[0123] Description:

[0124] Description of the protein, identified from all publically accessible databases, with highest similarity for the M. leprae protein ML0048.

[0125] Sc3C3.03C: Nomenclature of the streptomyces protein.

[0126] EMB: AL031231: Accession number in EMBL databank for the sequence of the Streptomyces protein found to be most similar to ML0048.

[0127] 1083: length of the sequence in the EMBL databank.

[0128] FASTA score: Different method, like BLAST, for comparing sequences for their similarity.

[0129] Score denotes the degree of similarity.

[0130] 31.6% : Percentage of identity between C terminal part of the Streptomyces protein and the amino acid sequence of ML0048. This 31.6% identity is found in an overlapping region of 580 amino acids between the two sequences. The other examples should be read similarly. TABLE 2 Proteins of limited distribution with potential as drug targets, diagnostic antigens or subunit vaccine components Group M. leprae M. tub. BLASTP Description A ML0048 Rv3876 1,00E−79 C-terminal half of Streptomyces coelicolor SC3C3.03C, hypothetical protein, TR:O86637 (EMBL:AL031231) (1083 aa); Fasta score E( ): 5.9e−27, 31.6% identity in 580 aa overlap, which contains Pro-Gln repeats A ML0115 Rv3780 2,00E−44 S. coelicolor SCGD3.23C, hypothetical protein, TR:Q9XA56 (EMBL:AL096822) A ML0124 Rv0164 2,00E−40 S. coelicolor SC6G10.02C, hypothetical protein, TR:Q9X7Y8 (EMBL:AL0494 97) (144 aa); Fasta score E( ): 7e−05, 21.9% identity in 137 aa overlap. A ML0151 Rv0948c 2,00E−25 S. coelicolor SCD63.16C, hypothetical protein, TR:CAB82023 (EMBL:AL161755) A ML0169 Rv0966c 7,00E−66 S. coelicolor SCE6.30C, hypothetical protein, TR:CAB88834 (EMBL:AL353832) (277 aa); Fasta score E( ): 3.3e−20, 41.0% identity in 205 aa overlap. A ML0229 Rv3603c 2,00E−60 N-terminal half of S. coelicolor SCE126.02C, hypothetical protein, TR:Q9X845 (EMBL:AL049630) (420 aa); Fasta score E( ): 4.1e−24, 36.7% identity in 294 aa overlap A lsr2 Rv3597c 1,00E−27 S. coelicolor SCE94.26C, putative lsr2-like protein, TR:Q9X8N1 (EMBL:AL049628) (111 aa); Fasta score E( ): 7.3e−18, 56.3% identity in 112 aa overlap A ML0284 Rv0360c 3,00E−23 S. coelicolor SCH10.25C, hypothetical protein, TR:Q9X8R4 (EMBL:AL049754) A whiB3 Rv3416 6,00E−38 Transcriptional regulator A lppS Rv2518c   e−135 many predicted lipoproteins from S. coelicolor. A ML0451 Rv2609c 2,00E−85 S. coelicolor e.g. SC2E1.17, hypothetical protein, TR:O69888 (EMBL:AL023797) (172 aa); Fasta score E( ): 2e−13, 43.3% identity in 150 aa overlap. A ML0486 Rv2588c 2,00E−19 S. coelicolor SCL2.07C, putative secreted protein, TR:CAB70919 (EMBL:AL137778) (169 aa); Fasta score E( ): 7.3e−08, 35.8% identity in 120 aa overlap A ML0542 Rv1390 6,00E−51 S. coelicolor SC9C5.02C, hypothetical protein, TR:CAB93358 (EMBL:AL357523) (90 aa); Fasta score E( ): 2e−18, 71.3% identity in 80 aa overlap. A ML0561 Rv1417 3,00E−38 Corynebacterium ammoniagenes ribX, hypothetical protein, TR:O24754 (EMBL:AB003693) (184 aa); Fasta score E( ): 2.1e−15, 34.5% identity in 148 aa overlap. Contains hydrophobic, possible membrane-spanning regions A ML0580 Rv1446c 2,00E−64 hypothetical proteins from S. coelicolor e.g. SCC22.20, hypothetical protein, TR:Q9XAB8 (EMBL:AL096839) (351 aa); Fasta score E( ): 7.1e−21, 36.0% identity in 203 aa overlap, although these have a short N-terminal extension relative to this homologue. A ML0603 Rv2413c 3,00E−77 S. coelicolor SCC123.02C, putative DNA-binding protein, TR:Q9RDM2 (EMBL:AL136518) (336 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 39.3% identity in 326 aa overlap. A ML0630 Rv2365c 2,00E−15 S. coelicolor SCC77.05, hypothetical protein, TR:Q9RDF3 (EMBL:AL136503) (132 aa); Fasta score E( ): 3.3e−06, 39.4% identity in 99 aa overlap. A ML0642 Rv3195   e−143 S. coelicolor SCE9.14C, hypothetical protein, TR:Q9X8I7 (EMBL:AL049841) (375 aa); Fasta score E( ): 4.9e−12, 24.9% identity in 305 aa overlap. A whiB2 Rv3260c 9,00E−31 Transcription factor A ML0762 Rv3258c 4,00E−41 S. coelicolor hypothetical 15.0 kDa protein SCE34.11C TR:CAB88914 (EMBL:AL353862) fasta scores: E( ): 4.8e− 16, 47.0% id in 151 aa. A lpqB Rv3244c 0.0 S. coelicolor putative lipoprotein SCE33.13C TR:CAB90922 (EMBL:AL355774) fasta scores: E( ): 0.00039, 24.4% id in 624 aa A whiB1 Rv3219 6,00E−31 Transcription factor A ML0814 Rv3208c 3,00E−32 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein gp|AL390975|AL390975_32 (94 aa) E( ): 2.5e−09; 47.945% identity A ML0816 Rv3207c   e−101 S. coelicolor putative membrane protein SC2H12.28c (314 aa) TR:CAB94652 (EMBL:AL359215) fasta scores: E( ): 1e−13, 30.2% id in 331 aa A ML0857 Rv2219 2,00E−59 S. coelicolor putative integral membrane protein SC3H12.04 TR:CAB90843 (EMBL:AL355740) (234 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 1.2e−26, 39.6% id in 230 aa A ML0869 Rv2206 4,00E−40 S. coelicolor putative integral membrane protein SC5F7.32 TR:Q9S2R7 (EMBL:AL096872) A ML0876 Rv2199c 2,00E−43 S. coelicolor hypothetical proteins e.g. putative integral membrane protein SC6G10.27C TR:Q9X812 (EMBL:AL049497) (132 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 6.2e−15, 38.8% id in 139 aa A ML0920 Rv2147c 3,00E−89 pir| |T34949 hypothetical protein SC4A10.12c - Streptomyces coelicolor A ML0921 Rv2146c 5,00E−32 S. coelicolor TR:Q9S2X3 (EMBL:AL109663) (94 aa); Fasta score E( ): 2.9e−12, 40.7% identity in 86 aa overlap. Contains possible membrane spanning hydrophobia domains. A ML0986 Rv2738c 3,00E−21 S. coelicolor TR:O50484 (EMBL:AL020958) (64 aa); Fasta score E( ): 2.5e−08, 44.4% identity in 63 aa overlap A ML0994 Rv2728c 1,00E−56 S. coelicolor TR:O69964 (EMBL:AL022268) (237 aa); Fasta score E( ): 1.3e−13, 32.9% identity in 243 aa overlap A ML1009 Rv2714   e−106 pir| |T35742 hypothetical protein SC7H2.11C S. coelicolor A ML1016 Rv2708c 1,00E−25 emb|CAB72193.1|(AL138851) hypothetical protein SCE59.06c [S. coelicolor A3 (2)] Length = 97 A ML1026 Rv2699c 2,00E−32 T34816 hypothetical protein SC2E9.05 SC2E9.05 - S. coelicolor 144 2e−34 A ML1027 Rv2698 1,00E−33 membrane protein, S. coelicolor TR:O54132 (EMBL:AL021530) (154 aa); Fasta score E( ): 1.1e−08, 33.6% identity in 149 aa overlap. A ML1029 Rv2696c 7,00E−69 pir| |T34821 hypothetical protein SC2E9.10 SC2E9.10 - S. coelicolor 86 4e−16 A ML1041 Rv2680 2,00E−62 pir| |T34710 hypothetical protein SC1C3.18c SC1C3.18C - S. coelicolor 158 5e−38 A ML1067 Rv1211 9,00E−23 emb|CAC01346.1| (AL390975) conserved hypothetical protein S. coelicolor 101 1e−21 A ML1093 Rv1244 5,00E−78 lipoprotein, pir| |T35857 probable secreted substrate- binding protein - S. coelicolor 67 3e−10 A ML1105 Rv1259   e−115 S. coelicolor TR:Q9S2L3 (EMBL:AL109732) (237 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 54.5% identity in 231 aa overlap. A ML1117 Rv1276c 3,00E−53 pir| |T36773 hypothetical protein SCI28.03c - S. coelicolor 115 4e−25 A ML1147 Rv1312 3,00E−42 possible secreted protein, emb|CAB94546.1| (AL359152) putative secreted/membrane protein S. coelicolor 66 2e−10 A ML1166 Rv1332 7,00E−54 S. coelicolor TR:Q9S2G6 (EMBL:AL096852) (202 aa); Fasta score E( ): 1.5e−05, 34.6% identity in 188 aa overlap. A ML1230 Rv1182   e−149 papA3, emb|CAC08383.1| (AL392176) hypothetical protein S. coelicolor 132 8e−30 A ML1306 Rv2125 5,00E−87 S. coelicolor TR:Q9S2K6 (EMBL:AL109732) (312 aa); Fasta score E( ): 1.6e−07, 23.4% identity in 278 aa overlap A ML1321 Rv2111c 3,00E−07 upstream of bacterial proteasome beta subunits including: Mycobacterium smegmatis TR:O30517 (EMBL:AF009645) (64 aa); Fasta score E( ): 6.2e−18, 82.8% identity in 64 aa overlap, Rhodococcus A ML1338 Rv2673   e−150 conserved integral membrane protein, S. coelicolor TR:Q53873 (EMBL:AL031317) (411 aa); Fasta score E( ): 1.1e−12, 28.3% identity in 410 aa overlap A ML1439 Rv2050 4,00E−31 emb|CAB61670.1| (AL133213) hypothetical protein SC6D7.18c. S. coelicolor 101 4e−21 A ML1485 Rv2466c 2,00E−66 S. coelicolor TR:CAB71809 (EMBL:AL138662) (216 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 52.3% identity in 214 aa overlap A ML1508 Rv1155 2,00E−48 S. coelicolor TR:Q9XAG1 (EMBL:AL079356) (144 aa); Fasta score E( ): 5.6e−25, 54.3% identity in 140 aa overlap. A ML1525 Rv2771c 8,00E−27 S. coelicolor TR:Q9RD46 (EMBL:AL133424) (151 aa); Fasta score E( ): 1.3e−28, 56.1% identity in 148 aa overlap A ML1548 Rv2795c   e−132 S. coelicolor TR:O88028 (EMBL:AL031107) (295 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 54.4% identity in 285 aa overlap A ML1557 Rv2840c 2,00E−27 emb|CAB91141.1| (AL355913) hypothetical protean S. coelicolor 46 7e−05 A ML1561 Rv2844 1,00E−39 S. coelicolor TR:CAB91137 (EMBL:AL355913) (167 aa); Fasta score E( ): 1.4e−07, 35.8% identity in 137 aa A ML1624 Rv2917 0.0 S. coelicolor TR:Q9S3Y6 (EMBL:AF170560) (597 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 55.5% identity in 566 aa overlap A ML1644 Rv2235   e−113 N-terminal signal sequence plus membrane spanning hydrophobia domain; emb|CAB59445.1| (AL132644) putative membrane protein [Streptomyc . . . 109 4e−23 A ML1649 Rv2239c 3,00E−36 emb|CAB92846.1| (AL356892) hypothetical protein [Streptomyces co . . . 137 6e−32 A ML1652 Rv2242 0.0 S. coelicolor TR:Q9RDP8 (EMBL:AL133423) (401 aa); Fasta score E( ): 4.3e−26, 42.0% identity A ML1666 Rv2968c 9,00E−59 S. coelicolor putative integral membrane protein TR:CAB93387 (EMBL:AL357523) (240 aa); Fasta score E( ): 3.6e−25, 36.1% identity in 191 aa overlap A ML1698 Rv3005c 4,00E−54 conserved membrane protein, emb|CAB61735.1| (AL133220) putative membrane protein. S. coelicolor 99 5e−20 A ML1706 Rv3015c 1,00E−91 S. coelicolor TR:Q9Z586 (EMBL:AL035569) (331 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 38.6% identity in 337 aa overlap, A ML1781 Rv2256c 4,00E−62 4pir| |T11215 hypothetical protein 5 - Streptomyces glaucescens > g . . . 153 1e−36 A ML1782 Rv2257c   e−121 S. coelicolor SC4A7.08 TR:Q9RDQ4 (EMBL:AL133423) (273 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 53.2% identity in 269 aa overlap A ML1791 Rv1976c 8,00E−25 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein SC1C3.03C TR:O69845 (EMBL:AL023702) (125 aa); Fasta score E( ): 4.3e−06, 36.6% identity in 112 aa overlap. A ML1908 Rv0637 3,00E−62 S. coelicolor SCD82.07 TR:CAB77410 (EMBL:AL160431) (150 aa); Fasta score E( ): 4.7e−11, 29.3% identity in 150 aa overlap. A ML1910 Rv0635 9,00E−49 emb|CAB77410.1| (AL160431) hypothetical protein SCD82.07 S. coelicolor 83 1e−15 A ML1926 Rv0431 6,00E−24 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein SCD95A.20 TR:CAB93047 (EMBL:AL357432) (84 aa); Fasta score E( ): 4.1e−11 A ML1927 Rv0430 2,00E−25 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein SCD95A.20 TR:CAB93047 (EMBL:AL357432) (84 aa); Fasta score E( ): 4.1e−11, 52.8% identity in 72 aa overlap. A ML1997 Rv0970 7,00E−39 S. coelicolor putative integral membrane protein SCM2.15C A ML2030 Rv1884c 1,00E−34 Rpf, emb|CAC09538.1| (AL442120) putative secreted protein S. coelicolor 108 5e−23 A ML2031 Rv1883c 1,00E−44 Streptomyces actuosus NSH-OrfB TR:P72384 (EMBL:U75434) fasta scores: E( ): 2.5e−08, 34.4% in 125 aa A ML2048 Rv1871c 2,00E−14 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein TR:CAB88434 (EMBL:AL353815) fasta scores: E( ): 0.0092, 39.3% in 61 aa; truncated at C-terminus; may represent a pseudogene A ML2063 Rv1846c 3,00E−35 possible regulator, pir| |T36388 hypothetical protein SCE94.28C - S. coelicolor 64 6e−10 A ML2064 Rv1845c 3,00E−82 S. coelicolor putative integral membrane protein SC10A7.04 TR:Q9XAS1 (EMBL:AL078618) fasta scores: E( ): 1.8e−19, 32.6% in 328 aa A ML2073 Rv1830 2,00E−74 S. coelicolor hypothetical 19.1 kda protein TR:CAB88877 (EMBL:AL353861) fasta scores: E( ): 3.7e− 30, 64.8% in 145 aa A ML2075 Rv1828 7,00E−71 S. coelicolor hypothetical 26.5 kda protein TR:CAB88879 (EMBL:AL353861) fasta scores: E( ): 1.1e− 14, 41.4% in 237 aa. A ML2114 Rv0909 7,00E−07 S. coelicolor hypothetical 9.9 kda protein TR:O69965 (EMBL:AL022268) fasta scores: E( ): 0.038, 41.3% in 46 aa A ML2135 Rv0885   e−123 S. coelicolor putative membrane protein TR:Q9XAE8 (EMBL:AL079356) fasta scores: E( ): 1.5e−13, 27.1% in 255 aa A ML2137 Rv0883c 1,00E−76 S. coelicolor hypothetical 39.0 kda protein TR:O50529 (EMBL:AL009204) fasta scores: E( ): 2.2e−19, 36.0% in 247 aa A ML2142 Rv0877 8,00E−91 S. coelicolor hypothetical 32.2 kda protein TR:CAB93404 (EMBL:AL357524) fasta scores: E( ): 2.5e− 19, 43.3% in 270 aa. A ML2143 Rv0876c   e−172 S. coelicolor putative integral membrane protein TR:CAB93403 (EMBL:AL357524) fasta scores: E( ): 5.3e− 16, 38.8% in 448 aa. A ML2151 Rv0867c 1,00E−35 Probable resusicitation-promoting factors, exported protein A ML2156 Rv0862c 0.0 S. coelicolor hypothetical 90.4 kda protein TR:CAB93395 (EMBL:AL357524) fasta scores: E( ): 3.9e− 27, 34.6% in 856 aa A ML2193 Rv0819 2,00E−87 Acetyltransferase (GNAT) family, emb|CAB88484.1| (AL353816) putative acetyltransferase S. coelicolor 216 3e−55 A ML2199 Rv3118 1,00E−28 Saccharopolyspora erythraea hypothetical 10.2 kda protein TR:Q54084 (EMBL:M29612) fasta scores: E( ): 2.7e−16, 53.0% in 100 aa A ML2200 Rv0813c 3,00E−59 S. coelicolor hypothetical 21.7 kda protein TR:CAB94083 (EMBL:AL358692) fasta scores: E( ): 4.4e− 11, 30.5% in 167 aa A ML2204 Rv0810c 2,00E−13 S. coelicolor hypothetical 9.3 kda protein SCD25.24C TR:Q9RKJ8 (EMBL:AL118514) fasta scores: E( ): 1.3e−06, 46.8% id in 62 aa. A ML2207 Rv0807 8,00E−36 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein SCD25.20 TR:Q9RKKO (EMBL:AL118514) (202 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 6.6e−16, 52.5% id in 101 aa. A ML2219A Rv0787A 1,00E−33 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein SCD25.13 (AL118514) A ML2253 Rv2145c 1,00E−06 antigen 84 homolog, also in S. coelicolor, etc. A ML2261 Rv0546c 1,00E−43 emb|CAB95979.1| (AL360034) conserved hypothetical protein S. coelicolor 119 1e−26 A ML2289 Rv3662c 7,00E−64 S. coelicolor putative oxidoreductase SCH5.22C TR:Q9X924 (EMBL:AL035636) (274 aa) fasta scores: E ( ): 1e−11, 40.9% id in 269 aa A ML2295 Rv3668c 7,00E−67 emb|CAB61552.1| (AL133171) protease precursor S. coelicolor53 2e−06 A ML2296 Rv3669 2,00E−43 Similar to S. coelicolor putative integral membrane transport protein SCH5.28 TR:Q9X930 (EMBL:AL035636) (162 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 3.3e−10, 37.3% id A ML2306 Rv3680   e−110 S. coelicolor putative ion-transporting ATPase TR:Q9XA35 (EMBL:AL079353) (481 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 0, 48.6% id in 432 aa A ML2307 Rv3681c 4,00E−28 whiB4 A ML2330 Rv3716c 6,00E−10 pir| |T35387 hypothetical protein SC66T3.30c - S. coelicolor 47 6e−05 A ML2332 Rv3718c 1,00E−39 S. coelicolor conserved hypothetical protein TR:Q9ZBJ2 (EMBL:AL035161) (147 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 1.4e−22, 47.6% id in 147 aa. A ML2410 Rv0528   e−160 conserved membrane protein, emb|CAC08381.1| (AL392176) putative integral membrane protein S. coelicolor 221 2e−56 A ML2425 Rv0504c 7,00E−52 emb|CAB77410.1| (AL160431) hypothetical protein SCD82.07 [Strept . . . 73 2e−12 A ML2428A Rv0500B 6,00E−17 Small, strongly basic, S. coelicolor SCE68.25C, gp|AL079345|AL079345 25 S. coelicolor (32 aa) E( ): 1.7e−07; 93.103% A ML2432 Rv0498   e−101 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein TR:Q9X8H0 (EMBL:AL049819) (285 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 3.2e−30, 51.6% id in 273 aa A ML2435 Rv0495c 7,00E−94 S. coelicolor hypothetical protein TR:Q9X8H2 (EMBL:AL049819) (271 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 0, 48.4% id in 250 aa A ML2442 Rv0487 1,00E−47 emb|CAC04041.1| (AL391406) conserved hypothetical protein S. coelicolor 142 2e−33 A ML2446 Rv0483   e−137 possible lipoprotein, S. coelicolor putative lipoprotein TR:CAB76012 (EMBL:AL157916) fasta scores: E( ): 2.5e−24, 28.6% id in 405 aa. A ML2453 Rv0476 9,00E−22 conserved membrane protein, emb|CAC04036.1| (AL391406) putative membrane protein S. coelicolor 57 3e−08 A ML2522 Rv0309 5,00E−65 S. coelicolor putative secreted protein SCL24.08 TR:CAB76092 (EMBL:AL157956) A ML2529 Rv0290   e−116 S. coelicolor putative integral membrane protein SC3C3.21 TR:O86654 (EMBL:AL031231) fasta scores: E( ): 1.9e−05, 23.8% id in 483 aa A ML2566 Rv0241c   e−125 S. coelicolor putative dehydratase TR:CAB77291 (EMBL:AL160312) A ML2630 Rv0007 4,00E−06 emb|CAB92992.1| (AL357152) putative integral membrane protein S. coelicolor 69 5e−11 A ML2640 Rv0146 3,00E−93 pir| |T35930 hypothetical protein SC9B5.10 - S. coelicolor 141 1e−32 A ML2664 Rv0116c 1,00E−72 possible secreted protein, pir| |T35535 probable secreted protein - S. coelicolor 154 7e−37 A ML2687 Rv0051   e−150 conserved membrane protein, pir| |T36589 probable transmembrane protein - S. coelicolor 185 1e−45 A ML2699 Rv3909 0.0 putative secreted protein, pir| |T36582 hypothetical protein SCH24.17c - S. coelicolor 90 8e−17 M ML0007 Rv0007 6,00E−51 Putative membrane protein M ML0012 Rv0010c 4,00E−30 Contains hydrophobic, possible membrane-spanning regions. M ML0013 Rv0011c 3,00E−36 Contains hydrophobic, possible membrane-spanning regions. M ML0022 Rv0020c   e−114 — M ML0030 Rv0039c 9,00E−06 putative membrane protein M ML0031 Rv0040c 3,00E−48 Contains a probable N-terminal signal sequence M ML0042 Rv3882c   e−138 putative membrane protein M ML0044 Rv3880c 2,00E−19 — M ML0047 Rv3877   e−146 putative membrane protein M ML0049 Rv3875 5,00E−14 possible secreted protein, ESAT-6 M ML0050 Rv3874 4,00E−12 possible secreted protein, ESAT-6 M ML0051 Rv3873 1,00E−30 PPE-family protein M ML0054 Rv3869   e−151 putative membrane protein M ML0056 Rv3867 2,00E−13 — M ML0068 Rv3850 8,00E−71 — M ML0069 Rv3849 4,00E−41 — M ML0071 Rv3847 2,00E−65 — M ML0073 Rv3843c 3,00E−51 putative membrane protein M ML0081 Rv3835   e−107 putative membrane protein, possible membrane-spanning region near the N-terminus. M ML0091 Rv3810 1,00E−39 erp, pirG, exported repetitive protein precursor M ML0093 Rv3808c 0.0 — M ML0094 Rv3807c 6,00E−30 putative membrane protein M ML0096 Rv3805c 0.0 putative membrane protein M ML0099 Rv3802c 8,00E−96 — H embB Rv3795 0.0 arabinosyl transferase M embA Rv3794 0.0 arabinosyl transferase M embC Rv3793 0.0 arabinosyl transferase M ML0107 Rv3792 0.0 Mycobacterium smegmatis ORF3, hypothetical membrane protein M ML0116 Rv3779   e−179 putative membrane protein M ML0133 Rv2949c 3,00E−64 Pfam match to entry PF01947 DUF98, Protein of unknown function M lppX Rv2945c 6,00E−60 putative lipoprotein M ML0158 Rv0954 4,00E−20 34 kDa antigen, membrane protein M ML0159 Rv0955 2,00E−74 putative membrane protein M ML0185 Rv0996 2,00E−74 possible membrane-spanning regions M ML0187 Rv0998   e−124 Cyclic nucleotide-binding domain. M ML0199 Rv3647c 2,00E−52 — M ML0208 Rv3632 2,00E−38 putative membrane protein M ML0227 Rv3605c 3,00E−36 putative membrane protein M MML0228 Rv3604c 2,00E−51 putative membrane protein M lpqT Rv1016c 1,00E−52 putative lipoprotein M ML0256 Rv1024 2,00E−42 Contains hydrophobic, possible membrane-spanning region M ML0271 Rv0401 1,00E−23 putative membrane protein M ML0279 Rv0356c 9,00E−63 — M ML0281 Rv0358 2,00E−36 — M ML0285 Rv0361 1,00E−50 putative membrane protein M ML0298 Rv0416 5,00E−10 possibly thiamine biosynthesis M lpqE Rv3584 3,00E−40 putative lipoprotein M ML0370 Rv3438 2,00E−78 Contains PS00107 Protein kinases ATP-binding region signature M ML0383 Rv3415c 5,00E−59 — M ML0386 Rv3412 4,00E−45 — M ML0405 Rv3616c 1,00E−71 — M ML0406 Rv3615c 2,00E−14 — M ML0407 Rv3614c 2,00E−45 — M ML0410 Rv2107 8,00E−08 PE-family protein M ML0411 Rv2108 1,00E−22 PPE-family protein, serine-rich antigen M ML0425 Rv2520c 2,00E−10 putative membrane protein M ML0431 Rv2507 1,00E−41 putative membrane protein M ML0520 Rv2536 1,00E−40 putative membrane protein M PE Rv1386 1,00E−21 PE protein family. M PPE.0 Rv1387 3,00E−99 PPE protein family M mihF Rv1388 4,00E−24 integration host factor M lprG Rv1411c 1,00E−50 putative lipoprotein M mtb12 Rv2376c 2,00E−28 putative secreted protein M ML0676 Rv3354 2,00E−15 — M ML0703 Rv3311   e−125 — M ML0730 Rv3281 1,00E−20 Contains Pfam match to entry PF01039 Carboxyl_trans, Carboxyl transferase domain M ML0733 Rv3278c 4,00E−53 putative membrane protein M ML0734 Rv3277 2,00E−64 putative membrane protein M ML0748 Rv3269 1,00E−15 irpA M ML0761 Rv3259 2,00E−48 Mycobacterium smegmatis hypothetical 6.0 kDa protein (partial CDS) TR:Q9S425 (EMBL:AF164439) fasta scores: E( ): 1e−10, 75.5% id in 53 aa M ML0764 Rv3256c 1,00E−79 — M ML0806 Rv3217c 5,00E−25 putative membrane protein M ML0810 Rv3212   e−104 putative membrane protein M ML0813 Rv3209 2,00E−24 putative membrane protein M ML0818 Rv3205c   e−102 — M ML0834 Rv2342 1,00E−21 — M ML0872 Rv2203 9,00E−43 putative membrane protein M mmpS3 Rv2198c 3,00E−49 putative membrane protein M ML0878 Rv2197c 1,00E−55 putative membrane protein M ML0888 Rv2186c 8,00E−41 — M ML0889 Rv2185c 8,00E−41 — M ML0891 Rv2183c 2,00E−27 — M ML0895 Rv2179c 1,00E−60 — M ML0898 Rv2175c 1,00E−41 putative DNA-binding protein M MML0901 Rv2172c   e−102 — M ML0902 Rv2171 3,00E−57 probable lipoprotein M ML0903 Rv2170 9,00E−55 — M ML0904 Rv2169c 7,00E−32 putative membrane protein M ML0907 Rv2164c 2,00E−50 putative conserved membrane protein M ML0923 Rv2144c 3,00E−07 possible membrane protein M ML0984 Rv2740 3,00E−31 — M ML0990 Rv2732c 9,00E−46 possible conserved membrane protein M ML1001 Rv2722 7,00E−06 — M ML1004 Rv2719c 1,00E−17 possible conserved membrane protein M ML1015 Rv2709 1,00E−26 possible conserved membrane protein M ML1025 Rv2700 1,00E−62 possible secreted protein M ML1030 Rv2695 1,00E−47 — M ML1053 Rv2107 8,00E−11 PE protein M ML1055 Rv2347c 1,00E−19 —, family M ML1056 Rv3619c 6,00E−18 —, family M ML1065 Rv1209 6,00E−21 membrane protein M ML1077 Rv1222 3,00E−34 Mycobacterium avium TR:O05736 (EMBL:U87308) (133 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 71.7% identity in 138 aa overlap M ML1079 Rv1224 2,00E−29 possible secreted protein M ML1096 Rv1249c 2,00E−48 putative membrane protein M ML1098 Rv1251c 0.0 some similarity to GTP-binding proteins M ML1099 Rv1252c 5,00E−41 putative lipoprotein M ML1115 Rv1274 3,00E−58 lipoprotein, lprB M ML1116 Rv1275 8,00E−54 lipoprotein, lprC M ML1120 Rv1278 0.0 Contains multiple possible coiled-coils. Contains PS00017 ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) M ML1138 Rv1303 3,00E−20 integral membrane protein M ML1176 Rv1342c 3,00E−34 possible conserved membrane protein M ML1177 Rv1343c 5,00E−43 possible lipoprotein, membrane protein M ML1180 Rv3619c 6,00E−18 ESAT-6 family M ML1181 Rv2347c 1,00E−19 QILSS family M ML1182 Rv1361c 2,00E−47 PPE family M ML1183 Rv2107 8,00E−11 PE family M ML1190 Rv2525c 3,00E−70 —, twin-Arginine secreted protein M ML1221 Rv1590 2,00E−18 — M ML1222 Rv1591 1,00E−29 membrane protein M ML1232 Rv1184c 2,00E−77 Possibly secreted PE protein, Contains PS00017 ATP/GTP-binding site motif A (P-loop) M ML1233 Rv3821 9,00E−33 conserved membrane protein M ML1244 Rv2484c   e−130 conserved membrane protein M ML1255 Rv2468c 1,00E−41 — M ML1270 Rv1610 8,00E−36 conserved membrane protein, Contains Pfam match to entry PF00218 IGPS, M ML1296 Rv2137c 1,00E−25 — M ML1299 Rv2134c 9,00E−60 — M ML1300 Rv2133c 4,00E−90 — M ML1315 Rv2H6 1,00E−35 lipoprotein, LppK M ML1334 Rv2091c 6,00E−28 conserved membrane protein, calcium-binding M ML1357 Rv1693 7,00E−09 — M ML1361 Rv1697   e−114 conserved membrane protein M ML1362 Rv1698 6,00E−58 conserved secreted protein M ML1389 Rv1635c   e−144 conserved membrane protein M ML1446 Rv2061c 5,00E−35 — M ML1470 Rv2446c 2,00E−16 conserved membrane protein M ML1505 Rv1158c 7,00E−17 conserved hypothetical Proline rich protein, possibly secreted M ML1506 Rv1157c 4,00E−62 — M ML1526 Rv2772c 2,00E−43 conserved membrane protein M ML1537 Rv1797 1,00E−98 possible secreted protein M ML1S40 Rv1794   e−101 — M ML1544 Rv1782   e−155 conserved membrane protein M ML1560 Rv2843 8,00E−24 — M ML1584 Rv2876 3,00E−25 conserved membrane protein M ML1607 Rv2898c 2,00E−17 Contains Pfam match to entry PF02021 UPF0102, Uncharacterised protein family UPF0102, sp|083883|Y913_TREPA HYPOTHETICAL PROTEIN TP0913 >gi|7514634|pir. M ML1610 Rv2901c 2,00E−39 — M ML1638 Rv2229c 2,00E−63 — M ML1677 Rv2980 3,00E−33 possible secreted protein M ML1704 Rv3013 6,00E−71 — M ML1720 Rv3035   e−107 — M ML1813 Rv1476 3,00E−39 — M PPE.1 Rv0256c 3,00E−93 PPE-family protein M ML1828A Rv0257 1,00E−15 Probably pseudogene as Rv0257 is longer M ML1911A Rv0634A —, May be pseudogene as Rv0634A is predicted to be 13 aa longer M ML1918 Rv3587c 5,00E−69 conserved hypothetical membrane protein M ML1937 Rv1111c 9,00E−39 probable integral membrane protein M MML1939 Rv1109c 9,00E−49 — M ML1945 Rv1100 6,00E−57 possible membrane protein M ML1991 Rv0096 4,00E−90 PPE M ML1988 Rv0093c 1,00E−52 Contains possible membrane spanning hydrophobic domains. Note lacks the N-terminal 46 aa of the M. tuberculosis protein M ML1993 Rv0098 3,00E−50 — M ML1995 Rv0100 1,00E−18 — M ML2010 Rv1906c 4,00E−31 putative lipoprotein (secreted in Mt) M ML2022 Rv1893 2,00E−13 — M ML2023 Rv1891 2,00E−46 Contains probable N-terminal signal sequence. M ML2054 Rv1861 1,00E−07 integral membrane protein M ML2070 Rv1836c   e−171 — M ML2111 Rv0912 1,00E−35 membrane protein M ML2113 Rv0910 6,00E−49 — M ML2141 Rv0879c 9,00E−22 — M ML2144 Rv0875c 2,00E−45 possible exported protein M ML2155 Rv0863 2,00E−18 — M ML2195 Rv0817c 4,00E−68 probable exported protein M ML2228 Rv0779c 3,00E−50 probable membrane protein M ML2258 Rv0543c 2,00E−28 — M ML2259 Rv0544c 2,00E−16 possible membrane protein M ML2271 Rv0556 6,00E−46 putative membrane protein M ML2274 Rv0559c 9,00E−23 putative secreted protein M ML2320 Rv3705c 8,00E−64 — M ML2337 Rv3723 4,00E−S7 possible membrane spanning hydrophobia domains M ML2377 Rv0451c 1,00E−35 mmpS4, Mycobacterium avium TmtpA TR:Q9XCF4 (EHBL:AF143772) (221 aa) fasta scores: E( ): 0, 58.9% id in 146 aa M ML2380 Rv0455c 2,00E−37 possible secreted protein M ML2388 Rv0463 9,00E−18 possible membrane protein M ML2390 Rv1083 1,00E−10 possible secreted/membrane protein M ML2392 Rv1081c 6,00E−34 conserved membrane protein, hydrophobic_stretch_from_aa_26-48 M ML2407 Rv0531 5,00E−06 putative membrane protein M ML2433 Rv0497 5,00E−39 conserved membrane protein M ML2450 Rv0479c 7,00E−57 possible secreted protein, >gb|AAF74996.1|AF143402_1 (AF143402) putative multicopper oxidase [Mycobacterium avium] M ML2452 Rv0477 2,00E−23 — M ML2454 Rv0475 6,00E−40 possible hemagglutinin M ML2465 Rv0464c 7,00E−53 — M ML2473 Rv3753c 2,00E−53 — M ML2489 Rv0383c 5,00E−91 possible secreted protein, hydrophobic N-terminus and Pro-rich C-terminus M ML2491 Rv1754c   e−109 — M ML2518 Rv0313 1,00E−39 — M ML2527 Rv0292 2,00E−69 conserved membrane protein, M ML2530 Rv0289 2,00E−92 — M ML2531 Rv0288 5,00E−27 ESAT-6 family, possible cell surface protein M ML2532 Rv3020c 9,00E−10 PE-family protein M ML2534 Rv0285 9,00E−13 PE-family protein M ML2536 Rv0283   e−156 conserved membrane protein M ML2557 Rv0250c 2,00E−26 — M mce Rv0169   e−107 Mce protein M ML2569A Rv0236A 2,00E−24 Small secreted protein with typical N-terminal signal peptide M ML2570 Rv0236c 0.0 possible integral membrane protein M ML2581 Rv0227c   e−116 putative integral membrane protein M ML2582 Rv0226c   e−132 conserved membrane protein M ML2595 Rv0175 2,00E−41 possible membrane protein M ML2596 Rv0176 1,00E−73 conserved membrane protein M ML2597 Rv0177 1,00E−42 conserved membrane protein M ML2598 Rv0178 2,00E−43 conserved membrane protein M ML2604 Rv0184 8,00E−64 — M ML2605 Rv0185 3,00E−47 — M ML2614 Rv0199 3,00E−47 conserved membrane protein M ML2615 Rv0200 5,00E−55 probable membrane protein M ML2616 Rv0201c 5,00E−36 — M ML2621 Rv0207c 2,00E−43 — M ML2627 Rv0216   e−103 — M ML2629 Rv0164 6,00E−44 — M ML2689 Rv0049 1,00E−45 — X ML0190 Rv1000 7,00E−53 gp|AL357613|AL357613_12 S. coelicolor cosmid (210 aa) E( ): 2.4e−44; 55.122% identity in 205 aa overlap; AE003963|AE003963_5 Xylella fastidiosa, E( ): 9.7e− 14; 3 9.894% identity in 188 aa overlap. Weak similarity to proteins involved in DNA repair X ML0257 Rv1025 4,00E−72 Also hypothetical proteins from Thermotoga maritima e.g. TM1078, hypothetical protein, TR:Q9XOG7 (EMBL:AE001768) (170 aa) X ML0418 Rv3368c 2,00E−76 weak similarity Thermus aquaticus nox, NADH dehydrogenase, SW:NOX_THETH (X60110) (205 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0.00023, 28.8% identity in 212 aa overlap. X ML0577 Rv1440 9,00E−12 putative protein-export membrane protein, secG X ML0776 Rv3242c 3,00E−11 probable competence protein ComF - Deinococcus radio . . . 77 2e−13 X ML1037 Rv2683 2,00E−42 Contains 2 Pfam matches to entry PF00571 CBS, CBS domain. X ML1119 Rv1277   e−105 possibly phosphoesterase X ML1159 Rv1324   e−116 probable thioredoxin X ML1249 Rv2476c 0.0 Rickettsia prowazekii TR:Q9ZCI2 (EMBL:AJ235273) (1581 aa); Fasta score E( ): 0, 32.9% identity in 1494 aa overlap X ML1399 Rv1647 1,00E−76 weakly adenylate cyclases X ML1444 Rv2054 3,00E−94 Weakly several carboxymethylenebutenolidases (EC 3.1.1.45) involved in 3-chlorocatechol degradation e.g. Pseudomonas putida SW:CLCD_PSEPU (P11453) (236 aa) X ML1494 Rv1171 8,00E−19 conserved membrane protein, pir| |PH0210 hypothetical protein 133 (fdxA 5′ region) - Saccharo . . . 74 5e− 13 X ML1503A Rv1159A 9,00E−33 S. coelicolor (SC5C7.25) gp|AL03151 5AL031515|AL031515_25 (101 aa) E( ): 1.9e−06; 34.831% identity in 89 aa overlap; and archaebacteria. X ML1660 Rv2926c 2,00E−69 —, pir| |E72412 conserved hypothetical protein - Thermotoga maritime . . . 66 4e−10 X ML1723 Rv3038c   e−152 —, gb|AAC01738.1| (AF040571) methyltransferase [Amycolatopsis medit . . . 59 1e−07 X ML1909 Rv0636 9,00E−72 Contains Pfam match to entry PF01575 MaoC_dehydratas, MaoC like domain. ML2566 X desA2 Rv1094 7,00E−85 Gossypium hirsutum (Upland cotton) acyl-[acyl-carrier protein] desaturase precursor SW:STAD_GOSHI (X95988) (397 aa); Fasta score E( ): 5.6e−05, 23.9% identity in 293 aa overlap. X ML1983 Rv1919c 8,00E−45 weakly similar pollen allergen X ML2366 Rv3760 1,00E−12 Deinococcus radiodurans conserved hypothetical protein TR:Q9RU17 X ML2463 Rv0466   e−102 weakly similar acyl-ACP thioesterase

[0131] TABLE 3 Possible twin arginine secreted proteins M. tuberculosis M. leprae Gene Predicted function Rv0203 del — unknown Rv0265c NF fecB2 iron_transport_protein_FeIII_dicitrate_transporter Rv0846c ML2171 ps — similar_to_several_L-ascorbate_oxidases Rv1755c del plcD phospholipase_C_precursor Rv2349c NF plcC phospholipase_C_precursor Rv2350c del plcB phospholipase_C_precursor Rv2351c NF plcA phospholipase_C_precursor Rv2525c ML1190 — unknown Rv2577 ML0497 ps — similarity to G755244 acid phosphatase Rv2833c del ugpB sn-glycerol-3-phosphate transport Rv3353c del — unknown NF ML2649 — unknown

[0132] The implications for this invention are widespread. M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide's are disclosed in SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644. The discovery of the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides and DNA encoding the polypeptides enables construction of expression vectors comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides; host cells transfected or transformed with the expression vectors; biologically active M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides and M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides as isolated or purified peptides; and antibodies immunoreactive with M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. In addition, understanding of the mechanism by which M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides function enables the design of assays to detect inhibitors of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide activity.

[0133] As used herein, the term “M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides” refers to a genus of polypeptides that encompasses polypeptides of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644, as well as those polypeptides having a high degree of similarity (at least 90% homology) with such amino acid sequences and which polypeptides are immunoreactive or biologically active.

[0134] The term “purified” as used herein, means that the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides are essentially free of association with other proteins or polypeptides, for example, as a purification product of recombinant host cell culture or as a purified product from a non-recombinant source. The term “substantially purified” as used herein, refers to a mixture that contains M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides and is essentially free of association with other proteins or polypeptides, but for the presence of known proteins that can be removed using a specific antibody, and which substantially purified M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides can be used as antigens.

[0135] A M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide “variant” as referred to herein means a polypeptide substantially homologous to native M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, but which has an amino acid sequence different from that of native M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides because of one or more deletions, insertions, or substitutions. The variant amino acid sequence preferably is at least 80% identical to a native M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide amino acid sequence, most preferably at least 90% identical. The percent identity can be determined, for example by comparing sequence information using the GAP computer program, version 6.0 described by Devereux et al. (Nucl. Acids Res., 12:387, 1984) and available from the University of Wisconsin Genetics Computer Group (UWGCG). The GAP program utilizes the alignment method of Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. 48:443, 1970), as revised by Smith and Waterman (Adv. Appl. Math, 2:482, 1981). The preferred default parameters for the GAP program include: (1) a unary comparison matrix (containing a value of 1 for identities and 0 for non-identities) for nucleotides, and the weighted comparison matrix of Gribskov and Burgess, Nucl. Acids Res., 14:6745, 1986, as described by Schwartz and Dayhoff, eds., Atlas of Protein Sequence and Structure, National Biomedical Research Foundation, pp. 353-358, 1979; (2) a penalty of 3.0 for each gap and an additional 0.10 penalty for each symbol in each gap; and (3) no penalty for end gaps.

[0136] Variants can comprise conservatively substituted sequences, meaning that a given amino acid residue is replaced by a residue having similar physicochemical characteristics. Examples of conservative substitutions include substitution of one aliphatic residue for another, such as Ile, Val, Leu, or Ala for one another, or substitutions of one polar residue for another, such as between Lys and Arg; Glu and Asp; or Gln and Asn. Other such conservative substitutions, for example, substitutions of entire regions having similar hydrophobicity characteristics, are well known. Naturally occurring M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide variants are also encompassed by the invention. Examples of such variants are proteins that result from alternate mRNA splicing events or from proteolytic cleavage of the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. Variations attributable to proteolysis include, for example, differences in the termini upon expression in different types of host cells, due to proteolytic removal of one or more terminal amino acids from the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. Variations attributable to frameshifting include, for example, differences in the termini upon expression in different types of host cells due to different amino acids.

[0137] As stated above, the invention provides isolated and purified, or homogeneous, M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, both recombinant and non-recombinant. Variants and derivatives of native M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides that can be used as antigens can be obtained by mutations of nucleotide sequences coding for native M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. Alterations of the native amino acid sequence can be accomplished by any of a number of conventional methods. Mutations can be introduced at particular loci by synthesizing oligonucleotides containing a mutant sequence, flanked by restriction sites enabling ligation to fragments of the native sequence. Following ligation, the resulting reconstructed sequence encodes an analog having the desired amino acid insertion, substitution, or deletion.

[0138] Alternatively, oligonucleotide directed, site specific mutagenesis procedures can be employed to provide an altered gene wherein predetermined codons can be altered by substitution, deletion, or insertion. Exemplary methods of making the alterations set forth above are disclosed by Walder et al. (Gene, 42:133, 1986); Bauer et al. (Gene, 37:73, 1985); Craik (BioTechniques, January 1985, 12-19); Smith et al. (Genetic Engineering: Principles and Methods, Plenum Press, 1981); Kunkel (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA, 82:488, 1985); Kunkel et al. (Methods in Enzymol., 154:367, 1987); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,518,584 and 4,737,462, all of which are incorporated by reference.

[0139] Within an aspect of the invention, M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides can be utilized to prepare antibodies that specifically bind to M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. The term “antibodies” is meant to include polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, fragments thereof such as F(ab′)2 and Fab fragments, as well as any recombinantly produced binding partners. Antibodies are defined to be specifically binding if they bind M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides with a K_(a) of greater than or equal to about 10⁷ M⁻¹. Affinities of binding partners or antibodies can be readily determined using conventional techniques, for example, those described by Scatchard et al., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 51:660, 1949). Polyclonal antibodies can be readily generated from a variety of sources, for example, horses, cows, goats, sheep, dogs, chickens, rabbits, mice, or rats, using procedures that are well known in the art.

[0140] The invention further encompasses isolated fragments and oligonucleotides derived from the nucleotide sequences of the invention. The invention also encompasses polypeptides encoded by these fragments and oligonucleotides.

[0141] Nucleic acid sequences within the scope of the invention include isolated DNA and RNA sequences that hybridize to the native M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acids disclosed herein under conditions of moderate or severe stringency, and which encode M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. As used herein, conditions of moderate stringency, as known to those having ordinary skill in the art, and as defined by Sambrook et al. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 2 ed. Vol. 1, pp. 1.101-104, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, (1989), include use of a prewashing solution for the nitrocellulose filters 5×SSC, 0.5% SDS, 1.0 mM EDTA (pH 8.0), hybridization conditions of 50% formamide, 6×SSC at 42° C. (or other similar hybridization solution, such as Stark's solution, in 50% formamide at 42° C.), and washing conditions of about 60° C., 0.5×SSC, 0.1% SDS. Conditions of high stringency are defined as hybridization conditions as above, and with washing at 68° C., 0.2×SSC, 0.1% SDS. The skilled artisan will recognize that the temperature and wash solution salt concentration can be adjusted as necessary according to factors such as the length of the probe.

[0142] Due to the known degeneracy of the genetic code, wherein more than one codon can encode the same amino acid, a DNA sequence can vary and still encode a M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644. Such variant DNA sequences can result from silent mutations (e.g., occurring during PCR amplification), or can be the product of deliberate mutagenesis of a native sequence.

[0143] The invention thus provides equivalent isolated DNA sequences, encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, selected from: (a) DNA derived from the coding region of a native M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acid; (b) cDNA comprising the nucleotide sequence of the invention; (c) DNA capable of hybridization to a DNA of (a) under conditions of moderate stringency and which encode M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides; and (d) DNA which is degenerate as a result of the genetic code to a DNA defined in (a), (b) or (c) and which encodes M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides encoded by such DNA equivalent sequences are encompassed by the invention.

[0144] DNA that is equivalent to the DNA sequence of the invention will hybridize under moderately stringent conditions to the double-stranded native DNA sequence that encodes polypeptides of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 644. Examples of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides encoded by such DNA, include, but are not limited to, M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide fragments and M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides comprising inactivated N-glycosylation site(s), inactivated protease processing site(s), or conservative amino acid substitution(s), as described above. M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides encoded by DNA derived from other species, wherein the DNA will hybridize to the complement of the DNA of the invention are also encompassed.

[0145] Recombinant expression vectors containing a nucleic acid sequence encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides can be prepared using well known methods. The expression vectors include a M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker DNA sequence operably linked to suitable transcriptional or translational regulatory nucleotide sequences, such as those derived from a mammalian, microbial, viral, or insect gene. Examples of regulatory sequences include transcriptional promoters, operators, or enhancers, an mRNA ribosomal binding site, and appropriate sequences which control transcription and translation initiation and termination. Nucleotide sequences are “operably linked” when the regulatory sequence functionally relates to the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker DNA sequence. Thus, a promoter nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker DNA sequence if the promoter nucleotide sequence controls the transcription of the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker DNA sequence. The ability to replicate in the desired host cells, usually conferred by an origin of replication, and a selection gene by which transformants are identified can additionally be incorporated into the expression vector.

[0146] In addition, sequences encoding appropriate signal peptides that are not naturally associated with M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides can be incorporated into expression vectors. For example, a DNA sequence for a signal peptide (secretory leader) can be fused in-frame to the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleotide sequence so that the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide is initially translated as a fusion protein comprising the signal peptide. A signal peptide that is functional in the intended host cells enhances extracellular secretion of the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide. The signal peptide can be cleaved from the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide upon secretion of the marker polypeptide from the cell.

[0147] Expression vectors for use in prokaryotic host cells generally comprise one or more phenotypic selectable marker genes. A phenotypic selectable marker gene is, for example, a gene encoding a protein that confers antibiotic resistance or that supplies an autotrophic requirement. Examples of useful expression vectors for prokaryotic host cells include those derived from commercially available plasmids. Commercially available vectors include those that are specifically designed for the expression of proteins. These include pMAL-p2 and pMAL-c2 vectors, which are used for the expression of proteins fused to maltose binding protein (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass., USA).

[0148] Promoter sequences commonly used for recombinant prokaryotic host cell expression vectors include β-lactamase (penicillinase), lactose promoter system (Chang et al., Nature, 275:615, 1978; and Goeddel et al., Nature, 281:544, 1979), tryptophan (trp) promoter system (Goeddel et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 8:4057, 1980; and EP-A-36776), and tac promoter (Maniatis, Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, p. 412,1982).

[0149] Suitable host cells for expression of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides include prokaryotes, yeast or higher eukaryotic cells. Appropriate cloning and expression vectors for use with bacterial, fungal, yeast, and mammalian cellular hosts are described, for example, in Pouwels et al., Cloning Vectors: A Laboratory Manual, Elsevier, New York, (1985). Cell-free translation systems could also be employed to produce M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides using RNAs derived from DNA constructs disclosed herein.

[0150] It will be understood that the present invention is intended to encompass the previously described proteins in isolated or purified form, whether obtained using the techniques described herein or other methods. In a preferred embodiment of this invention, the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides are substantially free of human tissue and human tissue components, nucleic acids, extraneous proteins and lipids, and adventitious microorganisms, such as bacteria and a mycoplasma. It will also be understood that the invention encompasses equivalent proteins having substantially the same biological and immunogenic properties. Thus, this invention is intended to cover serotypic variants of the proteins of the invention.

[0151] Depending on the use to be made of the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides of the invention, it may be desirable to label them. Examples of suitable labels are radioactive labels, enzymatic labels, fluorescent labels, chemiluminescent labels, and chromophores. The methods for labeling proteins and glycoproteins of the invention do not differ in essence from those widely used for labeling immunoglobulin. The need to label may be avoided by using labeled antibody to the antigen of the invention or anti-immunoglobulin to the antibodies to the antigen as an indirect marker.

[0152] Once the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides of the invention have been obtained, they can be used to produce polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies reactive therewith. Thus, a polypeptide of the invention can be used to immunize an animal host by techniques known in the art. Such techniques usually involve inoculation, but they may involve other modes of administration. A sufficient amount of the polypeptide is administered to create an immunogenic response in the animal host. Any host that produces antibodies to the antigen of the invention can be used. Once the animal has been immunized and sufficient time has passed for it to begin producing antibodies to the antigen, polyclonal antibodies can be recovered. The general method comprises removing blood from the animal and separating the serum from the blood. The serum, which contains antibodies to the antigen, can be used as an antiserum to the antigen. Alternatively, the antibodies can be recovered from the serum. Affinity purification is a preferred technique for recovering purified polyclonal antibodies to the antigen from the serum.

[0153] Monoclonal antibodies to the antigens of the invention can also be prepared. One method for producing monoclonal antibodies reactive with the antigens comprises the steps of immunizing a host with the antigen; recovering antibody producing cells from the spleen of the host; fusing the antibody producing cells with myeloma cells deficient in the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase to form hybridomas; select at least one of the hybridomas by growth in a medium comprising hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine; identifying at least one of the hybridomas that produces an antibody to the antigen, culturing the identified hybridoma to produce antibody in a recoverable quantity; and recovering the antibodies produced by the cultured hybridoma.

[0154] These polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies can be used in a variety of applications. Among these is the neutralization of corresponding proteins. They can also be used to detect viral antigens in biological preparations or in purifying corresponding proteins, glycoproteins, or mixtures thereof, for example, when used in a affinity chromatographic columns.

[0155] The M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides can be used as antigens to identify antibodies to a mycobacteria in materials and to determine the concentration of the antibodies in those materials. Thus, the antigens can be used for qualitative or quantitative determination of a mycobacteria in a material. Such materials of course include human tissue and human cells, as well as biological fluids, such as human body fluids, including human sera. When used as a reagent in an immunoassay for determining the presence or concentration of the antibodies to a mycobacteria, the antigens of the present invention provide an assay that is convenient, rapid, sensitive, and specific.

[0156] More particularly, the antigens of the invention can be employed for the detection of a mycobacterium by means of immunoassays that are well known for use in detecting or quantifying humoral components in fluids. Thus, antigen-antibody interactions can be directly observed or determined by secondary reactions, such as precipitation or agglutination. In addition, immunoelectrophoresis techniques can also be employed. For example, the classic combination of electrophoresis in agar followed by reaction with anti-serum can be utilized, as well as two-dimensional electrophoresis, rocket electrophoresis, and immunolabeling of polyacrylamide gel patterns (Western Blot or immunoblot). Other immunoassays in which the antigens of the present invention can be employed include, but are not limited to, radioimmunoassay, competitive immunoprecipitation assay, enzyme immunoassay, and immunofluorescence assay. It will be understood that turbidimetric, colorimetric, and nephelometric techniques can be employed. An immunoassay based on Western Blot technique is preferred.

[0157] Immunoassays can be carried out by immobilizing one of the immunoreagents, either an antigen of the invention or an antibody of the invention to the antigen, on a carrier surface while retaining immunoreactivity of the reagent. The reciprocal immunoreagent can be unlabeled or labeled in such a manner that immunoreactivity is also retained. These techniques are especially suitable for use in enzyme immunoassays, such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay (CIEIA).

[0158] When either the antigen of the invention or antibody to the antigen is attached to a solid support, the support is usually a glass or plastic material. Plastic materials molded in the form of plates, tubes, beads, or disks are preferred. Examples of suitable plastic materials are polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride. If the immunoreagent does not readily bind to the solid support, a carrier material can be interposed between the reagent and the support. Examples of suitable carrier materials are proteins, such as bovine serum albumin, or chemical reagents, such as gluteraldehyde or urea. Coating of the solid phase can be carried out using conventional techniques.

[0159] The invention provides immunogenic M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, and more particularly, protective polypeptides for use in the preparation of vaccine compositions against a mycobacterium. These polypeptides can thus be employed as viral vaccines by administering the polypeptides to a mammal susceptible to a mycobacteria infection. Conventional modes of administration can be employed. For example, administration can be carried out by oral, respiratory, or parenteral routes. Intradermal, subcutaneous, and intramuscular routes of administration are preferred when the vaccine is administered parenterally.

[0160] The major purpose of the immune response in a mycobacteria-infected mammal is to inactivate the free mycobacteria and to eliminate mycobacteria infected cells that have the potential to release infectious mycobacteria. The B-cell arm of the immune response has some responsibility for inactivating free mycobacteria. The principal manner in which this is achieved is by neutralization of infectivity. Another major mechanism for destruction of the a mycobacteria-infected cells is provided by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) that recognize M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker antigens expressed in combination with class I histocompatibility antigens at the cell surface. The CTLs recognize M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides processed within cells from a M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide that is produced, for example, by the infected cell or that is internalized by a phagocytic cell. Thus, this invention can be employed to stimulate a B-cell response to M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, as well as immunity mediated by a CTL response following infection. The CTL response can play an important role in mediating recovery from primary mycobacterial infection and in accelerating recovery during subsequent infections.

[0161] The ability of the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides and vaccines of the invention to induce protective levels of neutralizing antibody in a host can be enhanced by emulsification with an adjuvant, incorporating in a liposome, coupling to a suitable carrier, or by combinations of these techniques. For example, the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides of the invention can be administered with a conventional adjuvant, such as aluminum phosphate and aluminum hydroxide gel, in an amount sufficient to potentiate humoral or cell-mediated immune responses in the host. Similarly, the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides can be bound to lipid membranes or incorporated in lipid membranes to form liposomes. The use of nonpyrogenic lipids free of nucleic acids and other extraneous matter can be employed for this purpose.

[0162] The immunization schedule will depend upon several factors, such as the susceptibility of the host to infection and the age of the host. A single dose of the vaccine of the invention can be administered to the host or a primary course of immunization can be followed in which several doses at intervals of time are administered. Subsequent doses used as boosters can be administered as needed following the primary course.

[0163] The M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides and vaccines of the invention can be administered to the host in an amount sufficient to prevent or inhibit a mycobacteria infection or replication in vivo. In any event, the amount administered should be at least sufficient to protect the host against substantial immunosuppression, even though a mycobacterial infection may not be entirely prevented. An immunogenic response can be obtained by administering the polypeptides of the invention to the host in an amount of about 10 to about 500 micrograms antigen per kilogram of body weight, preferably about 50 to about 100 micrograms antigen per kilogram of body weight. The polypeptides and vaccines of the invention can be administered together with a physiologically acceptable carrier. For example, a diluent, such as water or a saline solution, can be employed.

[0164] Another aspect of the invention provides a method of DNA vaccination. The method also includes administering any combination of the nucleic acids encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, with or without carrier molecules, to an individual. In embodiments, the individual is an animal, and is preferably a mammal. More preferably, the mammal is selected from the group consisting of a human, a dog, a cat, a bovine, a pig, and a horse. In an especially preferred embodiment, the mammal is a human.

[0165] The methods of treating include administering immunogenic compositions comprising M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, but compositions comprising nucleic acids encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides as well. Those of skill in the art are cognizant of the concept, application, and effectiveness of nucleic acid vaccines (e.g., DNA vaccines) and nucleic acid vaccine technology as well as protein and polypeptide based technologies. The nucleic acid based technology allows the administration of nucleic acids encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, naked or encapsulated, directly to tissues and cells without the need for production of encoded proteins prior to administration. The technology is based on the ability of these nucleic acids to be taken up by cells of the recipient organism and expressed to produce an immunogenic determinant to which the recipient's immune system responds. Typically, the expressed antigens are displayed on the surface of cells that have taken up and expressed the nucleic acids, but expression and export of the encoded antigens into the circulatory system of the recipient individual is also within the scope of the present invention. Such nucleic acid vaccine technology includes, but is not limited to, delivery of naked DNA and RNA and delivery of expression vectors encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. Although the technology is termed “vaccine”, it is equally applicable to immunogenic compositions that do not result in a protective response. Such non-protection inducing compositions and methods are encompassed within the present invention.

[0166] Although it is within the present invention to deliver nucleic acids encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides and carrier molecules as naked nucleic acid, the present invention also encompasses delivery of nucleic acids as part of larger or more complex compositions. Included among these delivery systems are mycobacterium, mycobacteria-like particles, or bacteria containing the nucleic acid encoding M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. Also, complexes of the invention's nucleic acids and carrier molecules with cell permeabilizing compounds, such as liposomes, are included within the scope of the invention. Other compounds, such as molecular vectors (EP 696 191, Samain et al.) and delivery systems for nucleic acid vaccines are known to the skilled artisan and exemplified in, for example, WO 93/06223 and WO 90/11092, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,859, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,589,466 (Vical's patents), which are incorporated by reference herein, and can be made and used without undue or excessive experimentation.

[0167] To further achieve the objective and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, a kit capable of diagnosing mycobacteria infection is described. This kit, in one embodiment, contains the DNA sequences of this invention, which are capable of hybridizing to RNA or analogous DNA sequences to indicate the presence of a mycobacteria infection. Different diagnostic techniques can be used which include, but are not limited to: (I) Southern blot procedures to identify cellular DNA which may or may not be digested with restriction enzymes; (2) Northern blot techniques to identify RNA extracted from cells; and (3) dot blot techniques, i.e., direct filtration of the sample through an ad hoc membrane, such as nitrocellulose or nylon, without previous separation on agarose gel. Suitable material for dot blot technique could be obtained from body fluids including, but not limited to, serum and plasma, supernatants from culture cells, or cytoplasmic extracts obtained after cell lysis and removal of membranes and nuclei of the cells by centrifugation.

[0168] The invention also provides screening assays for identifying agents that modulate (e.g. augment or inhibit) the activity of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides. Assays for detecting the ability of agents to inhibit or augment the activity of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides provide for facile high-throughput screening of agent banks (e.g., compound libraries, peptide libraries, and the like) to identify antagonists or agonists of these marker polypeptides. Such M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptide antagonists and agonists may modulate marker polypeptide activity and thereby modulate, inhibit, or even prevent infection of a host by M. tuberculosis and M. leprae.

[0169] For example, yeast comprising (1) an expression cassette encoding a GAL4 DNA binding domain (or GAL4 activator domain) fused to a binding fragment of M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptide, (2) an expression cassette encoding a GAL4 DNA activator domain (or GAL4 binding domain, respectively) fused to a binding fragment of a test polypeptide, and (3) a reporter gene (e.g., β-galactosidase) comprising a cis-linked GAL4 transcriptional response element can be used for agent screening. Such yeast are incubated, and expression of the reporter gene (e.g., β-galactosidase) is determined by the capacity of the agent to affect expression of the reporter gene and thereby identify the test polypeptide as a candidate modulatory agent for M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptides.

[0170] Yeast two-hybrid systems can be used to screen a mammalian (typically human) cDNA expression library, wherein cDNA is fused to a GAL4 DNA binding domain or activator domain, and either a M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptide sequence is fused to a GAL4 activator domain or DNA binding domain, respectively. Such a yeast two-hybrid system can screen for cDNAs that encode proteins that interact with M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptides.

[0171] Polypeptides that interact with M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptides can also be identified by immunoprecipitation of M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptides with antibody, and identification of co-precipitating species. Further, polypeptides that interact with M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptides can be identified by screening a peptide library (e.g., a bacteriophage peptide display library) with a M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptide.

[0172] Additional embodiments of the invention are directed to methods that employ specific antisense polynucleotides complementary to all or part of M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker nucleic acids. Such complementary antisense polynucleotides may include nucleotide substitutions, additions, deletions, or transpositions, so long as specific hybridization to the relevant target sequence corresponding to M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker nucleic acids is retained as a functional property of the polynucleotide. Complementary antisense polynucleotides include soluble antisense RNA or DNA oligonucleotides that can hybridize specifically to M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acid species and prevent transcription of the mRNA species and/or translation of the encoded polypeptide. See (Ching et al., 1989, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 86:10006 ; Broder et al., 1990, Ann. Int. Med., 113:604; Loreau et al., 1990, FEBS Letters, 274:53; Holcenberg et al., WO91/11535; U.S. Ser. No. 07/530,165; WO 91/09865; WO 91/04753; WO 90/13641; and EP 386563). The antisense polynucleotides, therefore, inhibit production of M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptides. Antisense polynucleotides that prevent transcription and/or translation of mRNA corresponding to M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptides may inhibit or prevent infection by M. tuberculosis or M. leprae. Antisense polynucleotides of various lengths may be produced, although such antisense polynucleotides typically comprise a sequence of about at least 25 consecutive nucleotides, Which are substantially identical to a naturally-occurring M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker nucleic acids, and typically are identical to a M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker nucleic acid. For general methods relating to antisense polynucleotides, see Antisense RNA and DNA, (1988) D. A. Melton, Ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.).

[0173] Polypeptides with similar sequence should have similar function. Thus, the functions of M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides can be assessed by a database search. One method by which structural and functional domains can be identified is by comparison of the nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence data for M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides, or M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker nucleic acids, to public or proprietary sequence databases. Preferably, computerized comparison methods are used to identify sequence motifs or predict polypeptide conformation domains that occur in other polypeptides of known structure and/or function. For example, methods to identify protein sequences that fold into a known three-dimensional structure are known (Bowie et al., 1991, Science, 253:164).

[0174] As other examples, but not for limitation, the programs GAP, BESTFIT, FASTA, and TFASTA in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package (Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Dr., Madison, Wis.) can be used to identify sequences in databases, such as GenBank/EMBL, that have regions of homology with M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptides or M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker nucleic acids. Such homologous regions are candidate structural or functional domains. Alternatively, other algorithms are provided for identifying such domains from sequence data. Further, network methods, whether implemented in hardware or software, can be used to: (1) identify related protein sequences and nucleotide sequences, and (2) define structural or functional domains in M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker polypeptides.

[0175] Thus, those of skill in the art can recognize sequence motifs and structural conformations that may be used to define structural and functional domains in the M. tuberculosis and M. leprae marker nucleic acids of the invention. Hydrophobicity profiles can be generated and displayed graphically using the ProtScale utility at ExPASy (http://expasy.hcuge.ch/cgi-bin/protscale.pl). There are a number of different ways of predicting transmembrane helices in sequences, the simplest being merely to look for regions of the protein containing a run of 20 hydrophobic residues. However, there are also a number of more sophisticated, and accurate, algorithms which can be used not only to predict the location of transmembrane helices but also their orientation in the membrane.

[0176] Proteins can contain signals within their sequence which assist in their processing within the cell, for example leader sequences or signals which target proteins to specific compartments within cells. Web resources are available to help predict both these types of sites. Different regions of a polypeptide evolve at different rates; some parts of a polypeptide must retain a certain pattern of residues for the polypeptide to function. By identifying such conserved regions, it is possible to make predictions about the polypeptide function. Examples of conserved sequences can be found around the active sites of enzymes, sites of post-translational modification, binding sites for co-factors, protein sorting signals, etc.. A number of bioinformatics resources have been developed both to build databases of conserved patterns and to search for instances of such patterns in sequences. One of the best known motif databases is PROSITE, which can be employed in this invention.

[0177] This invention will be described in greater detail in the following Examples.

EXAMPLE 1

[0178] The whole genome sequence was obtained from a combination of sequenced cosmids (Eiglmeier, K., et al., Mol. Microbiol., 7,197-206, 1993) and 54,000 end sequences (giving 7.1× coverage) from a pUC18 genomic shotgun library using dye terminator chemistry on ABI373 or 377 automated sequencers. The sequences of 42 cosmids previously generated by multiplex sequencing (Smith, D. R., et al., Genome Research, 7, 802-819, 1997) were used for scaffolding purposes only. The sequence was assembled using Phrap (P. Green, unpublished), finished using GAP4 (Bonfield, J. K., et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 24, 4992-4999, 1995) then compared with sequences present in public databases using FASTA, BLASTN and BLASTX (Altschul, S. F., et al., Nature Genet., 6, 119-129, 1994). Potential CDS were predicted, and gene and protein sequences analysed as described previously (Cole et al., 1998 ; Parkhill, J., et al., Nature, 404, 502-505, 2000), using Artemis (Rutherford, K., et al., Bioinformatics, 16, 944-945, 2000) to collate data and facilitate annotation. The genome and proteome sequences of M. leprae and M. tuberculosis H37Rv were compared pairwise to identify conserved genes using the Artemis Comparison Tool (ACT) (K. Rutherford; unpublished; http://www.sanger.ac.uk/Software/ACT/). Pseudogenes had one or more mutations that would ablate expression and were pinpointed by direct comparison with M. tuberculosis.

EXAMPLE 2

[0179] Target Discovery

[0180] To illustrate the usefulness of comparative mycobacterial genomics for identifying potentially important proteins, a precise example will now be given. Preproteins transported by the TAT pathway generally bind redox cofactors and fold or oligomerize before crossing the membrane (Berks et al., 2000; Berks, B. C., et al., Biochim. Biophys. Acta., 1459, 325-330, 2000). After removal of the signal peptide, these proteins usually function in extracytoplasmic electron transfer chains. The specialized machinery that recognizes the twin-arginine motif, and translocates the preprotein across the membrane, is composed of several different Tat proteins. In Escherichia coli, TatA and TatE are 50% identical and share weak similarity with TatB. All three proteins are predicted to be anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane via an N-terminal hydrophobic alpha-helix, and to have cytoplasmic amphipathic helices followed by variable regions. The TatC protein is predicted to be an integral membrane protein with six transmembrane segments. M. tuberculosis and M. leprae both contain clearly identifiable tatA, tatB, tatC, and tatD genes and must, therefore, produce a functional Tat system.

[0181] On examination of the proteome of M. tuberculosis, eleven potential substrates for the Tat export system were recognized on the basis of their signal peptides containing potential twin arginine motifs (Table 3). During the extensive reductive evolution of the genome of M. leprae only one of the corresponding genes, ML1190, has escaped inactivation. It is orthologous to Rv2525c of M. tuberculosis but shows no similarity to proteins present in sequence databases. The 240 amino acid long precursor protein encoded by Rv2525c (or its counterpart ML1190 contains five histidines and one cysteine residue that may be important for coordinating divalent metal ions. The conservation of this coding sequence by M. leprae, in the face of massive gene loss, is a strong indication that it must play an important biological role. Given the many parallels with Tat systems elsewhere, it is likely to be in electron transport. These indirect arguments suggest on the one hand that, if this function were essential, the ML1190/Rv2525c gene product might represent a novel drug target or, on the other, since it is likely to be located extracellularly it may, therefore, be an important sentinel protein antigen.

[0182] The Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain HRV37 genomic library has been deposited at the Collection Nationale de Cultures de Microorganismes (C.N.C.M.), of Institut Pasteur, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724 Paris, Cedex 15, France, on Nov. 19, 1997, under the Accession Number I-1945. This genomic DNA library is disclosed in International patent application No. WO 9954487 (Institut Pasteur).

[0183] In summary, Leprosy, a chronic human neurological disease, results from infection with the obligate intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium leprae, a close relative of the tubercle bacillus. M. leprae has the longest doubling time of all known bacteria and has thwarted every effort at axenic culture. Comparison of the 3.27 Mb genome sequence of an armadillo-derived Indian isolate of the leprosy bacillus with that of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (4.41 Mb) provides clear explanations for these properties and reveals an extreme case of reductive evolution. Less than half of the genome contains functional genes while pseudogenes, with intact counterparts in M. tuberculosis, abound. Genome downsizing and the current mosaic arrangement appear to have resulted from extensive recombination events between dispersed repetitive sequences. Gene deletion and decay have eliminated many important metabolic activities including siderophore production, part of the oxidative, and all of the microaerophilic and anaerobic respiratory chains, together with numerous catabolic systems and their regulatory circuits.

[0184] The entire disclosure of each of the publication which has been referenced in the present description is incorporated by reference herein.

0 SEQUENCE LISTING The patent application contains a lengthy “Sequence Listing” section. A copy of the “Sequence Listing” is available in electronic form from the USPTO web site (http://seqdata.uspto.gov/sequence.html?DocID=20040197896). An electronic copy of the “Sequence Listing” will also be available from the USPTO upon request and payment of the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.19(b)(3). 

1. A method for identification and the selection of essential genes for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species which comprises: a) aligning the genomic sequence of a first mycobacterium species on a genomic sequence of the genomic sequence of a second mycobacterium species, b) selecting a polypolynucleotide sequence highly conserved in both genomes with no counterparts in other bacterial genomic sequences and which corresponds to an essential gene for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species, and c) optionally, testing the polypolynucleotide selected in step b) for its capacity of virulence or involved in the survival of a mycobacterium species said testing being based on the activation or inactivation of said polypolynucleotide in a bacterial host or said testing being based on the activity of the product of expression of said polynucleotide in vivo or in vitro.
 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first genomic sequence of mycobacterium belongs to Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second genomic sequence of mycobacterium belongs to Mycobacterium leprae.
 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the complete genomic sequence of said mycobacterium species is analysed.
 5. A method for the identification and the selection in silico of essential genes for the survival or the virulence of mycobacterium species according to any one of claims 1 to
 4. 6. Purified polynucleotide molecule obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to
 5. 7. A purified polynucleotide molecule of claim 6 which encodes essential proteins or fragments of proteins of Mycobacterium species.
 8. A purified polynucleotide molecule of a formula selected from the group consisting of polynucleotidic sequences, which encode for polypeptides and regulatory sequences essential for the virulence and/or the survival of mycobacterium which are, in one hand, specific to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and, in the other hand, specific to Mycobacterium leprae, that is to say, said polynucleotidic sequences are not found in publicly accessible banks of non-Mycobacterium tuberculosis and non-Mycobacterium leprae genome.
 9. A purified polynucleotide molecule according to claim 8 obtained by the method according to any one of claims 1 to
 5. 10. A purified polynucleotide molecule that hybridizes to either strand of a denatured, double-stranded DNA comprising the purified polynucleotide sequence according to claims 6 to 9 under conditions of moderate stringency in 50% formamide and 6×SSC at 42° C. with washing conditions of 60° C., 0.5×SSC, 0.1% of SDS.
 11. The purified polynucleotide molecule as claimed in claim 10, wherein said purified polynucleotide molecule is derived by mutagenesis.
 12. A purified polynucleotide molecule degenerate from the purified polynucleotide molecule according to any one of claims 6 to 9 as a result of the genetic code.
 13. A purified polynucleotide according to any one of claims 6 to 9 which encodes M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptide.
 14. A purified polynucleotide molecule according to any one of claims 6 to 9 which encodes an allelic variant of M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptide according to claim
 13. 15. A purified polynucleotide molecule according to any one of claims 6 to 9 which encodes a similar sequence of M. tuberculosis or M. leprae marker polypeptide DNA according to claim
 13. 16. A purified polypeptide encoded by a polynucleotide molecule according to claim
 8. 17. A purified polypeptide of a formula selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO:
 644. 18. A purified polypeptide according to claim 17 encoded by a polynucleotide molecule according to claims 6 or
 9. 19. A purified polypeptide according to any one of claims 16 to 18 in non-glycosylated form or in glycosylated form.
 20. Process of screening of active molecules comprising: a) preparation of at least one purified polynucleotidic molecule or fragment thereof according to claims 6 to 9 in an acceptable medium, b) contacting the purified polynucleotide sequence or a fragment thereof corresponding to said essential gene of interest with an active molecule to be tested, and c) selecting the active molecule by inhibition or activation of the activity of the purified polynucleotide compared to the standard activity of the essential gene in absence of said active molecule.
 21. Process of screening of an active molecule comprising: a) preparation of at least one purified polypeptide according to claims 16 to 19 or fragment thereof to be used as a target in an acceptable medium, b) contacting said purified polypeptide or fragment thereof obtained in step a) with an active molecule to be tested, and c) selecting the active molecule by inhibition or activation of the activity of the purified polypeptide obtainable after expression of the essential gene selected according to claim 1 and compared to the standard activity of said polypeptide.
 22. A recombinant BAC containing a fragment of M. tuberculosis genome deposited on Feb. 20, 2001 at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2625, I-2626, I-2627, I-2628 or I-2629.
 23. A recombinant cosmid containing a fragment of M. leprae genome deposited on Feb. 21, 2001 at the C.N.C.M. under the accession number I-2632 or I-2633.
 24. A recombinant purified vector that directs the expression of a polynucleotide molecule selected from the group consisting of purified polynucleotide molecule selected according to claims 1 or 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14 and
 15. 25. A recombinant purified vector that directs the expression of a purified polynucleotide molecule according to claims 10 to
 12. 26. A recombinant purified vector containing a part of the polynucleotide insert of claims 22 or 23 which is a plasmid.
 27. A host cell transfected or transduced with the vector of claims 24 to
 26. 28. A method for the production of mycobacterium purified marker polypeptide comprising culturing a host cell of claim 27 under conditions promoting expression, and recovering the polypeptide from the culture medium.
 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the host cell is selected from the group consisting of bacterial cells, yeast cells, plant cells, and mammalian cells.
 30. An immunological complex comprising a Mycobacterium purified marker polypeptide produced by a method according to claim 28 or 29 and an antibody that specifically recognizes said polypeptide.
 31. A composition comprising at least a mycobacterium purified polypeptide marker produced by a method according to claim 28 or
 29. 32. A method for detecting infection by mycobacteria, said method comprises: a) providing a composition according to claim 31 with a biological sample suspected to be infected with a mycobacterium, b) assaying for the presence of said mycobacterium, and c) optionally, detecting the presence of mycobacteria in said biological sample if infected.
 33. The method of claim 32, which in step b) the assay is performed by electrophoresis or by immunoassay with antibodies that are immunologically reactive with M. tuberculosis and/or M. leprae.
 34. An in vitro diagnostic method for the detection of the presence or the absence of antibodies which bind to an antigen or fragment of antigen comprising a mycobacterium purified polypeptide molecule according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the method comprises contacting the antigen or fragment of antigen with a biological fluid for a time and under conditions sufficient for the antigen and antibodies in the biological fluid to form an immunological complex, detecting the formation of the complex, and optionally measuring the formation of the immunologicalcomplex.
 35. The method as claimed in claim 34, wherein the formation of the immunological complex is detected by immunoassay method based on western blot technique, ELISA, indirect immuno-fluorescense assay, or immunoprecipitation assay.
 36. An in vitro diagnostic method for the detection of the presence or the absence of antibodies which bind to an antigen or fragment of antigen comprising a mycobacterium purified polypeptide molecule obtained by a method according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the method comprises contacting the antigen or fragment of antigen with a biological fluid for a time and under conditions sufficient for the antigen and antibodies in the biological fluid to form an immunological complex, detecting the formation of the complex, and optionally measuring the formation of the immunological complex.
 37. The method as claimed in claim 36, wherein the formation of the immunological complex is detected by immunoassay method based on western blot technique, ELISA, indirect immuno-fluorescence assay, or immunoprecipitation assay.
 38. A kit for the in vitro diagnostics of mycobacterium infections comprising: a) a mycobacterium purified polypeptide molecule according to any one of claims 16 to 19 or mixture thereof, b) antibodies capable of forming an immunological complex with said polypeptides, and c) acceptable medium to permit the detection of the formation of the complex thereof.
 39. A kit as claimed in claim 38 useful for the detection of M. tuberculosis or leprae infections.
 40. An immunogenic composition comprising at least a purified polypeptide according to any one of claims 16 to 19 in an amount sufficient to induce an immunogenic or protective response in vivo, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor.
 41. A polynucleotidic probe comprising a purified polynucleotide molecule or fragment thereof according to any one of claims 6 to
 15. 42. A polynucleotidic probe which is complementary to the full length sequence of a purified nucleic acid that hybridizes under conditions of moderate stringency in 50% formamide and 6×SSC at 42° C. with washing conditions of 60° C., 0.5×SSC, 0.1% SDS with a nucleic acid encoding a purified polypeptide according to any one of claims 16 to
 19. 43. A method for the detection of the presence or the absence of mycobacteria in a sample comprising: a) contacting a sample suspected to contain genetic material of mycobacteria with at least one probe according to claims 41 or 42, b) detecting the hybridization under conditions of moderate stringency in 50% formamide and 6×SSC at 42° C. with washing conditions of 60° C., 0.5×SSC, 0.1% SDS.
 44. A method for the detection of the presence or the absence of mycobacteria according to claim 43, wherein said method is specific for the detection of M. tuberculosis infections.
 45. A method for the detection of the presence or the absence of mycobacteria according to claim 43, wherein said method is specific for the detection of M. leprae infections.
 46. A method for the detection of the presence or the absence of mycobacteria according to any one of claims 43 to 45, wherein the sample contains nucleic acids of at least one microorganism other than the mycobacteria.
 47. A method of selection according to claims 1 to 5, wherein the comparison of the genetic informations of different types of organisms, wherein the method comprises: a) providing a database including sequence libraries for a plurality of types of organism, said libraries having multiple genomic sequences, b) providing one or more probe sequences according to claims 41 or 42, c) determining homologous matches between one or more of said probe sequences and one or more sequences of said sequences in said genomic libraries; and d) displaying the results of said determination.
 48. A method according to claims 1 to 4, wherein the genomic sequence of a first mycobacterium species is a recombinant BAC deposited at the C.N.C.M. according to claim 22 or
 23. 49. An in vitro diagnostic method for the detection of the presence or the absence of essential nucleotidic sequences for the survival or the virulence in mycobacterium by hybridization or amplification of said specific sequence comprising: a) providing a composition comprising a probe according to claims 41 or 42 with a sequence library of interest to be tested in an acceptable medium and in sufficient time to obtain an hybridization and/or an amplification of said sequence; b) purifying the sequence which hybridizes with said probe; and c) optionally, quantifying said sequence.
 50. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first genomic sequence of mycobacterium belongs to Mycobacterium microti. 